


Of Hoof Picks, Centaurs and Flight

by blamebrampton



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-22
Updated: 2012-04-22
Packaged: 2017-11-04 03:25:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/389217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blamebrampton/pseuds/blamebrampton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry has promised that he will not do anything to upset the new head of Magical Creatures. Even if it is Draco Malfoy. When three centaur foals appear in Cumbria, far from the Forbidden Forest and all too close to Muggles, Harry’s promise is thoroughly tested. To say nothing of his equestrian skills.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Hoof Picks, Centaurs and Flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [calembours](https://archiveofourown.org/users/calembours/gifts).



> Written for hd_holidays 2010, as a pinch hit. Beta-ed by the fabulous nursedarry, in a tiny amount of time, over Christmas. She is a SAINT!

**Of Hoof Picks, Centaurs, and Flight**

‘Mr Potter? The Head of Magical Creatures is here.’

Ah. The one thing that could make this situation more awkward, Harry thought, wishing it was this time last year and Hermione was still in the job. Or this time the year before that, when he was still out in the field and this would have been someone else’s problem.

He sighed quietly. ‘Send him in, Aurelia. I’m sure he’s as anxious to clear all this up as I am.’

Aurelia turned back into the antechamber and spoke to the man there, before moving back to hold open the door. Draco Malfoy stepped past her, thanking her politely. He looked at the man sitting on the other side of Harry’s desk and gave him a reassuring nod, before looking at Harry and plastering what was clearly a Let’s Be On Our Best Behaviour look on his face.

‘Right,’ said Malfoy. ‘What’s all this about, then?’

He was straightforward, Harry had to give him that. 

‘Beeton here was brought in for assaulting Gerlinda Cleavers in Diagon Alley at three forty-two this afternoon. We have a host of witnesses to the attack, but there are conflicting statements as to what actually happened. Beeton says he was acting under your orders, so I am hoping that you can tell me why you have been sending your staff out to rough up holidaying students in the last week before school goes back.’

‘May I sit down?’

‘Of course.’

Malfoy dropped into the chair beside Beeton. ‘You all right, Robert?’

‘Fine, sir. Sorry.’

‘Not at all. Now, Auror Potter, assaulting a student you say. Can you give me a few more details? This sounds very unlike Beeton, he’s generally very well behaved.’

Harry frowned. Malfoy’s tone was perfectly pleasant, so why did he feel as though he was being mocked? 

Taking a deep breath, he read from the report in front of him. ‘At three forty-two this afternoon, in Diagon Alley, near Flourish and Blotts, Beeton leapt upon Gerlinda Cleavers, witch, fourteen, of Skegness, Lincs. Beeton was heard to cry out that he was apprehending Miss Cleavers under Section Twelve of the Magical Creatures, Beings and Non-Wizarding Part-Humans Cooperation Act. Immediately thereafter, Beeton threw a blanket over Miss Cleavers and attempted to secure her with a silver chain. Miss Cleavers screamed for help, whereupon Beeton doused her with water from a bottle carried on his person. When witnesses rushed to intervene, Beeton assured them he was acting in his official capacity, while Cleaver screamed for her mother. At this point Aurors were called. On being returned to the Ministry, Mr Beeton asked to see the Head Auror, which was followed by a request that you be summoned to explain the situation.’ 

Harry looked up from the report. ‘Which I sincerely hope you can do.’

Malfoy nodded. He took a small notebook from his pocket and flipped through its pages. ‘Beeton was sent out at three twenty-five this afternoon in response to a complaint from Madame Malkin of unauthorised vampire activity in Diagon Alley. Beeton, do you want to tell me what happened next?’

Beeton, who was a small man and whose natural nervousness had now burgeoned into something approaching fully fledged panic, spoke quickly. ‘I arrived on the scene and surveyed the area. There was a lone figure in a long hooded black robe. I moved into an inconspicuous observation position and noted that the suspect’s skin was bright white and slightly sparkly. The suspect stayed in the shadows by Madame Malkin’s for a few minutes before turning down the alley in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. 

‘This entailed stepping through a patch of sunlight, at which point the suspect was observed to draw her robes tightly about herself and mutter “I must not let the sunlight reveal my identity!” Satisfied I was on the trail of the right culprit, I readied my kit and followed the suspect. Trying to make a minimum of fuss, I quietly advised the suspect that I was aware of her identity, and that she should return to an authorised vampire area. 

‘She laughed and told me that mere laws were not enough to constrain vampires when the power of both the afterlife and true love ran in their veins – I didn’t quite understand that bit, Sir, I have to confess. She turned around, at which point I realised I was dealing with a juvenile. I told her that I would give her a blood lollipop and offered to walk her to Knockturn Alley myself to make sure she was safe, at which point she told me that her mother had told her never to accept sweets from strange men. 

‘I gently informed her that if she continued to refuse, I would have no choice but to arrest her, and that it would be for the best if she moved on of her own accord. She told me that I was a mindless persecutor and did not understand and that, like the Cullens, she was a vegetarian feeding only on wild animals. 

‘I asked her if she knew what vegetarian meant, and who the Cullens were, at which point she told me I was an idiot and turned to leave, so I went to make my arrest and then the screaming started and it all went very badly wrong from there.’

Harry nodded, the story tallied with what Beeton had told him earlier. He looked to Malfoy, and was startled to see the man obviously holding back a laugh. ‘Mr Malfoy? You have some light you would like to shed on these events?’ 

‘What was the girl wearing?’ Malfoy asked.

‘A long, black hooded cloak, you heard Beeton.’

‘And beneath that?’

Harry looked down at his notes. ‘I don’t know,’ he admitted.

‘Is she still here?’

‘I think so, her mum was coming down from Skegness to pick her up. Apparently she’d been in town for the day with friends and was due to Floo home at five.’

‘Can we pop by and have a word?’

Harry paused. It was highly irregular, but he supposed that Malfoy was a Ministry official, and he would be there to make sure that nothing untoward happened. ‘If you keep it civil,’ he said.

‘I promise to be kindness itself. Can Beeton come with us or should he stay here?’

‘I can stay in the corridor,’ Beeton offered. 

‘Oh for Merlin’s sake. Come along.’

Gerlinda Cleavers was sitting in the Auror tea room with the two Aurors who had arrested Beeton, a steaming cup of hot chocolate and several iced biscuits in front of her, when Harry led Malfoy in. Beeton had found himself a nice seat outside the tea room and promised to stay quietly put, which Harry felt sure he would.

‘And so then the baby ripped its way out of the womb all by itself and it was the most amazing thing ever and Edward realised that he was going to lose her and so, finally …’

‘Miss Cleavers?’ Harry interrupted, hoping that it was a fictional narrative he had cut through. ‘Miss Cleavers, this is Draco Malfoy, he was hoping for a few words.’

The girl stopped talking and sat, gaping for a moment. ‘Oh, wow. Wow. You’re Harry Potter.’ 

‘Er, yes, hello. Pleased to meet you, glad you weren’t hurt.’

‘Oh no, I’m fine, I was awfully brave.’ She smiled widely, and possibly flirtatiously, Harry realised with horror.

‘Good girl,’ he said, patting her arm.

Malfoy interrupted before things could get worse. ‘Gerlinda! Pleased to meet you. I like your frock.’

A more genuine smile followed that. ‘Cheers! I made it myself. Midnight black sateen from Twilfit & Tattings. Special order. It was really hard getting the crescent moons all around the hem, but my friend April …’

‘Is April a Muggle-born, Gerlinda?’

‘How did you know? Yes, but she’s really cool. And despite what my mum says, Muggles have some really cool things, like, there’s these books, right, and they’re _amazing_! So much better than anything in stupid Beedle the Bard. I was just telling Auror Mallard when you came in about …’

‘Is that Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes hair charm you have on?’

Gerlinda looked as though she was about to deny it, then grinned. ‘Seriously Snape. It’s wicked, isn’t it? So black, so straight!’

Harry made a mental note to say something mildly disapproving to George.

Malfoy was still going, though. ‘It _is_. Suits you! Goes well with the white powder you’re using. Complexion Perfection Potion Absolutely Alabaster isn’t it?’

Gerlinda scoffed. ‘Hardly! Pearly Pallor. Absolutely Alabaster has no sparkle at all. SO wrong for the modern vampire aficionado.’

Malfoy turned around and gave Harry a look that was nothing less than triumphant. 

Harry forced himself to smile. ‘So you were intentionally dressed as a vampire, Miss Cleavers?’

‘Obviously.’

‘And did you tell Mr Beeton that you were in fact an actual vampire?’

‘Yes, but that was no excuse for him to fling a blanket over me …’

‘Standard procedure for taking in vampires,’ Malfoy interjected. ‘Stops any nasty accidents with the sun.’

‘Well he didn’t need to soak my head! He made my mascara run everywhere!’

‘Holy Water, he was afraid you were turning violent.’

‘It was an outrage.’

Harry attempted to regain control. ‘Yes, Miss Cleavers, of course it was, but I think, given the circumstances, an understandable one.’ 

‘Can Beeton go?’ Malfoy interrupted.

Harry sighed. ‘I don’t see why not, he seems to have acted with restraint throughout. Do you want to tell him? I’ll wait here with Miss Cleavers and explain to her mother …’

‘My _mother_?’ Gerlinda squawked. ‘Is she here?’

‘She’s on her way now,’ Harry said. ‘I thought you wanted her. Witnesses say you were screaming loudly for her not half an hour ago.’

‘She can’t see me like this!’ Gerlinda looked frantically around the room. ‘Where’s my bag?’

Harry looked at Mallard, who shrugged. Malfoy popped outside the room and came back holding a pink bag covered in fake purple puffskeins. ‘Beeton had it. Do you want to get changed?’

Gerlinda held her hands out and took the bag eagerly. ‘Yes please! And can someone charm my hair back? April has the counter-charm at her house, I was going to meet her back there for tea. Can you tell her I can’t come?’

Harry would have sighed again, but he didn’t want to set a bad example. ‘Mallard, can you take Miss Cleavers to the ladies’ and Scourgify her hair and face back to normal while you’re there? What’s April’s surname? I’ll send an owl.’ 

‘Penniforth. Thank you! You’re heaps handsomer than you are in your pictures, you know!’

Harry waited until Gerlinda and Mallard had left the room and Malfoy had gone to send Beeton back to his office before he sat down and banged his head gently on the table a few times.

‘Are you all right, sir?’ Auror Richards asked from behind him.

‘I have had better days, Richards.’

‘Mr Malfoy is coming back, sir.’

Harry sat up and brushed his hair back from his forehead. ‘Beeton all right?’ he asked as Malfoy strode in.

‘Quite unharmed, pleased that justice has been served. I’ve reminded him that actual vampires rarely come with pink accessories. I do think that your people could have sorted this all out a little faster, given the information to hand, but no harm done.’

‘I agree,’ Harry said, relieved that Malfoy did not plan to make a fuss. ‘Right. So what was all that about with the Muggle friend business?’

Malfoy sat down opposite Harry. ‘The Muggles are having an enormous vogue for vampires at the moment. Terribly chic among the young set.’

‘What, the vampires have revealed themselves to Muggles?’ Harry realised how out of touch he was, but surely Dudley would have mentioned something in his birthday letter?

‘No, it’s all some book. From what I’ve gathered, it’s a tortured love story with a carnivorous foetus. Sounds gruesome, actually, but I’m told it’s very popular. There’s been quite a fashion among the young set for black and fangs, which has crept in from the Muggle world. Miss Cleavers has a Muggleborn friend, QED. Her mother would be horrified, of course.’

Harry was impressed. And confused. ‘How do you know all of this when I don’t?’

As soon as the words left his mouth he regretted them. He could see any number of hilarious put-downs cross Malfoy’s mind, and was more than a little impressed at the man’s professionalism when he kept his mouth shut until he found something polite to say. 

‘Doubtless busy protecting the wizarding world from more important threats, Potter.’

‘Yes. Precisely. So. All that remains is for me to come up with a convincing story for Mrs Cleavers as to why the Aurors have her daughter and we should be all sorted.’

Malfoy thought for a moment. ‘Caught up in a training exercise,’ he said.

‘What?’

‘Training exercise. Scheduled for Diagon Alley, Aurors and related Ministry officials, young Gerlinda was in the wrong place at the wrong time, copped a face-full of water, had a little shock, terribly sorry. She’s fine, knows to keep her eyes on where she’s going in future.’

Harry smiled despite himself. ‘That could actually work. Thank you.’ 

Malfoy nodded in reply. The two of them sat, waiting for Mallard to return with the girl. The silence stretched from calm into long and then into awkward. 

‘How are you finding Creatures?’ Harry asked at last, just to have something to say.

Malfoy seemed surprised to be asked. ‘Quite good. Granger left it in excellent shape. The new legislation is all very neatly done, and certainly far superior to the old. I’m not entirely convinced by the freedoms offered to house-elves, but since most seem to be exercising their rights to ignore their new status, I suppose it doesn’t really matter. The Goblin demands for wands are going to tie us up for several years more, but having spent most of the last five years dealing with debates between Germany and France on trade of potions ingredients, I am well prepared for interminable arguments.’

He was smiling by the time he finished talking, as if to convey that delicate negotiations were the sort of thing he lived for these days. Harry looked for sarcasm in his expression, but found none.

‘Right,’ said Harry. ‘Well, that’s good. I was surprised when Hermione said you’d applied, but clearly it’s a good fit.’

The smile left Malfoy’s face. ‘Why were you surprised?’

‘Well … it’s Creatures, isn’t it? I was expecting … you know …’ Harry ran out of words in the face of the gaze levelled at him. ‘It’s not the sort of job I expected you to go for, that’s all,’ he managed.

‘Quite,’ said Malfoy. ‘Ah, Miss Cleavers. You know, I think this look suits you better.’

Gerlinda had returned, her healthy complexion and curly carroty hair restored to natural, and clothing far more befitting a young witch than a denizen of the night. She rolled her eyes at Malfoy’s comment and plonked herself sulkily back down into her chair, before remembering that there were still biscuits and the by now lukewarm chocolate and helping herself to both.

‘Right’ said Malfoy. ‘Well, I will leave you in Auror Potter’s capable hands. Please try to remember in future that the Department of Co-operation with Magical Creatures, Beings and non-Wizarding Part-Humans has a job to do, too, and that job is not to have their time wasted by sulky young girls.’

‘I thought you were meant to be nice,’ Gerlinda said around a mouthful of biscuit.

‘No,’ said Malfoy, getting up to leave. ‘That’s Potter. I’m the other one.’

Malfoy’s footsteps retreated quickly, and Harry waited until he could no longer hear them before he turned to Mallard and Williams. ‘You’ll find this hard to believe,’ he said. ‘But compared to every previous interaction I’ve had with Malfoy, that actually went quite well.’

He took one of Gerlinda’s biscuits and settled back to wait for Mrs Cleavers.

\-----------------------

Ron managed to listen to almost the entirety of Harry’s account of the meeting before he burst into laughter.

‘Oh, honestly,’ said Hermione, passing Hugo over to him across their kitchen table. ‘You two are hopeless. Malfoy’s doing a perfectly decent job with Creatures. You should be supporting other departments, not arresting people for doing their jobs.’

‘Be fair,’ said Harry. ‘When my chaps arrived on the scene there was a young girl screaming her head off and an older chap holding handcuffs and a bottle trying to smuggle her away in a blanky. It did not look good.’

Ron kept laughing. ‘I just want to know how Malfoy gained his extensive knowledge of face powder colours.’

‘Which reminds me,’ Harry said. ‘Seriously Snape? You and George have no respect for the dead.’

‘We have tons of respect; that’s a fabulous hair charm. Top notch. He’d have given us an O, if he was alive and we were all back at school. And if it was a potion. And if he had a sense of humour.’

‘Oh, Ron,’ Hermione sighed. ‘Rosie, darling, don’t chew on that, that’s Uncle Harry’s Auror badge, he needs it for arresting the bad people. Harry, put it in your pocket, would you? She thinks everything on the table is hers. Here you are, dear, have a lovely carrot. Mmmmm. Anyway, I think you owe Malfoy an apology. I know you didn’t mean to be rude, but I think you were.’

‘I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just surprised. I always assumed that if and when he came back to Britain, he would want some position of power and influence, not Creatures.’

Hermione gave one of the calm and even looks that Harry had learned to fear. ‘Interestingly, you seemed to consider the Department of Co-operation with Magical Creatures, Beings and non-Wizarding Part-Humans perfectly fine for me, until a few months ago.’

Harry made a desperate bid to dig himself out of his conversational hole. ‘Well, yeah, but you were overhauling it, weren’t you? Rebuilding it from the ground up, a new name, even. It was a challenge. It’s not like him coming in when the work is done.’

‘Plus there was SPEW,’ Ron added, helpfully.

‘Exactly! You had an interest in the field! And you were planning to leave when Hugo was born, so it was really just something easy …’ Harry realised that he had managed to dig his hole into more of an oubliette. 

He made one last bid to escape. ‘Rose looks more like you every day!’ 

Behind Hermione, Ron gave a thumbs-up. Sadly, Hermione shook her head. 

‘You’re appalling sometimes, Harry.’

‘It’s not my fault, I was raised by Dursleys.’

‘Tch! Just apologise to Malfoy. It will make you look mature and professional and encourage him to believe that the Ministry is a sensible place of work and that things have changed in the last ten years.’

‘You’ve changed your tune,’ Ron muttered.

‘What’s that?’

‘You never liked Malfoy at school,’ he reminded her. ‘You hated him as much as we did.’

‘Yes, Ron, that’s because he was awful. He’s improved since.’ Hermione smiled at him gently, and gave him A Look.

‘Yeah, Hermione’s right. You should apologise, Harry.’

Harry managed not to laugh. ‘All right, I promise I’ll say something next time I see him.’

Ron grinned in return and Hermione reached across the table to squeeze his hand. ‘Thanks. If Malfoy doesn’t stay, Durrant will want the job, and given his contacts within the Ministry, he’ll probably get it. He thinks Centaurs are over-evolved ponies. It’d be a disaster. I’d have to leave MLE and go back, and then where would you two be when you needed legislation that made sense and wasn’t written in the eighteenth century? ’

Harry couldn’t help himself. ‘There’s always Luna, she has a neat mind for a legal phrase.’

As expected, Hermione thumped him.

‘Are you staying for dinner?’ she asked immediately afterwards.

‘Go on,’ said Ron. ‘It’s delicious and I had no hand in its making.’

‘Can’t, sorry. I promised Justin I’d go to the opening of his new club.’

Ron blinked. ‘Justin’s private club for wizards seeking wizards?’

‘And witches seeking witches,’ Harry reminded him. 

Ron sighed. ‘I keep hoping it’s a phase and you’ll end up marrying my sister.’

‘That would make Dean very cross,’ Hermione reminded him. ‘And probably Ginny, too, when her husband kept sneaking off to shag men on the sly.’

‘It’s true,’ Harry agreed, laughing at the face Ron pulled.

‘Please do not mention my sister and shagging in the same sentence,’ he moaned.

Hermione laughed. ‘If that’s the life you wanted for her, it’s probably a shame she and Harry didn’t marry after all. Anyway, Harry, what time’s it all kicking off?’

‘Eight, and I need to shower, shave, find something that says _attractive and reputable clubgoer_ without suggesting to the _Daily Prophet_ that I have embarked upon a career of licentiousness.’

‘They’ve stopped referring to you as Harry Potter, Disappointment to British Witches,’ Hermione said.

‘I caught the editor halfway out a window in the wee hours of a Sunday morning. Not illegal, as such, but he’s nervous now.’

‘I’d say it’s wrong to take advantage …’

‘But she hasn’t forgiven him for the editorial criticising her for breast-feeding in the office,’ Ron interjected. 

‘Such a horrible man.’

‘You should see him with his shirt off …’

‘Ew! Harry!’

‘I’d best be off. See you Rosie-posey! You’ve been such a good quiet girl! Ah, that would be because you’ve been drawing in my notebook.’

‘I made you a picture!’

‘Oh, Rose.’ Hermione got up and retrieved her daughter. ‘Sorry, Harry.’

‘It’s fine. I think it’s an Erumpent, isn’t it, Rose?’

Rose looked at him with great offence. ‘It’s Mummy.’

Hermione took a glance at the page. ‘Of course it is. Silly Uncle Harry! And oh, look at the lovely toothmarks on his quill. Won’t he be thrilled! Sorry, Harry, do you want me to …’ 

‘Really, it’s fine. Nighty-night, Rose! Time for you to go to sleep, like Hugo.’

‘Hugo is boring. Mummy, did you know … Mummy? Mummy!’

‘Wait a second, darling. See you tomorrow, and have a word with Malfoy, yeah?’

‘First thing. Night, Ron.’

‘Run, before this one wakes up, too.’

‘Good-oh. See you both tomorrow.’

Harry smiled as he emerged from the Floo at Grimmauld Place. Despite Kreacher’s erratic attitudes to housekeeping, and Harry’s own willingness to let a little dust pass unnoticed, things were noticeably tidier here than at Ron and Hermione’s. And with less of a pervasive smell of regurgitated milk. He did love the kids, but it was easier to love them at a slight distance.

‘Is Master in for the evening?’ Kreacher appeared nearby.

‘No, heading out again quite soon, actually.’

‘Is Kreacher needed?’

‘No, thanks,’ said Harry. ‘I’d like you to take the night off, do something you enjoy.’

‘Master Harry says this most nights,’ said Kreacher.

‘There’s not much to do,’ Harry apologised.

‘The house once rang with the sound of dinner parties,’ Kreacher said, wistfully.

Harry was startled. ‘What, Walburgia Black held parties?’

‘Not parties, as such, for my Mistress. No, it was Master Arcturus and Mistress Melania, such happy times. Kreacher was much younger then, of course. Lovely games, well into the night … Float the punch, Blow up the gnome, Muddle the Muggle … Not that Kreacher would think that last game a good idea, now …’

Harry held back a very wrong smile. ‘It’s all right, Kreacher. It was a different time. I’ll have a think, see if I can come up with some people to invite.’

‘Master Harry’s Muggle-born friend and the Weasley could come,’ Kreacher suggested. ‘If they could leave the small ones at home. The girl-child cuddled Kreacher very tightly last time, Kreacher had to Disapparate.’

Harry turned away to hide the smile he could no longer hold back. Rose’s wails when ‘her’ elf had disappeared, and demands that they have a house-elf at home had mortified Hermione. And Kreacher’s look of horror at being covered in snotty toddler kisses had been priceless. 

‘I’ll have a word with them. Best be getting changed now. Probably be back late, no need to stay up. I’ll see you at breakfast.’

‘Will Mister Justin be coming back with Master Harry?’

‘That’s very unlikely.’

‘Shame.’

‘Goodnight, Kreacher.’

It took Harry longer to choose clothes than it did to shower and shave, but he still made it in time to join the crowd counting down outside The Free Vroomsticks at eight o’clock. Justin waved from his position at the door, holding a pair of giant scissors, and the _Prophet_ photographer angled to fit Harry into his shot.

‘Three, two, one!’ chanted the crowd. Justin cut the ribbon and let everyone file in past him. 

Inside, murals of attractive young Quidditch players in slightly risqué leathers winked merrily at persons of the appropriate gender passing their walls. Free drinks were being floated around the room on giant trays and orders were being taken by staff in very tight uniforms. Although hardly anyone had made it inside yet, dance music was being played by a small but loud band. Justin grabbed Harry and dragged him away to a large table at the back of the club where three people were already sitting. 

‘Thank you so much for making it!’ Justin shouted above the noise. ‘I’ll just turn that down, so we can talk.’ 

With a sweep of his wand, Justin lowered the noise level at the table and started making introductions. ‘Gustav, this is Harry Potter, we were at school together. Harry, this is the infamous Gustav.’

Harry had been warned, so he immediately smiled broadly. ‘Gustav! I’m so pleased to meet you! Justin’s talked of no one else since the two of you met. It’s terrible, he won’t even come out dancing with us any more, which is a disaster, because he was the only one in our set who can dance and the rest of us have had to admit that we actually just go out and sit around having a few drinks.’

Gustav, who had been eyeing Harry warily at first, dissolved into relieved smiles before Harry had finished talking. ‘It’s very good to meet you, too. Justin speaks very highly of you. At school, my prefect Viktor Krum also had a good opinion of you. It’s nice to meet a public figure who is not obnoxious in private.’

‘Oh, no, Harry _is_ completely obnoxious,’ Justin teased. ‘Just amusingly obnoxious, so we keep him on. Harry, these are my sisters, Emma and Jemima. Girls, this is that Harry and he is as inept as I’ve made out, so if you see anyone suitable for him, throw them together. Sit down. What are you having? I’m buying.’

‘Drinks are free,’ Harry pointed out.

‘I’m paying for them, too,’ Justin sighed. ‘At least for the first hour. But you can have something that’s less hideous than the stuff on the trays. Ogdens?’

‘Butterbeer, work tomorrow.’

‘Boring!’ 

Harry sat opposite the others and smiled cheerily. ‘So, Emma and Jemima, do you come into the wizarding world often?’

‘Not very often,’ Emma answered. ‘It’s a bit weird.’

Harry stifled a laugh.

‘It’s very irregular having Muggles visit,’ said Gustav, but not unkindly. ‘At home, it’s not allowed.’

‘Oh, we couldn’t for years,’ Jemima told him. ‘Except to see Justin off at the station, and even then we needed someone to get us through the wall. But we’ve all signed the Secrecy Agreement now, so we can pop in if we want to. Though, as Emma says, and please don’t take offence, it’s all a bit weird. Nice weird, though, not like Soho.’

‘Oh, god, Mimy, remember that man in the overcoat?’

‘I _know!_ But your lot are lovely, just, it takes a bit of getting used to seeing drinks trays floating about and so on.’

‘Were you ever jealous of Justin?’ Gustav asked.

‘Because he’s a wizard?’ Emma replied. ‘Only when we were all really little and his room tidied itself. But he’s a bit older than us, so once we found out about magic, Daddy just asked the maid to do our bedrooms, too, so it would be fair.’

‘And neither of you …?’

‘Oh no,’ said Emma. ‘Justin takes after Mummy’s side of the family – they’re all a bit weird. We’re more like Daddy’s side, better looking but less eccentric.’ 

‘This Secrecy Agreement,’ said Gustav, ‘It’s for Muggle families of witches and wizards?’

‘That’s right,’ Emma said, and launched into a description of the policy.

When they were still left out of the conversation a few minutes later, Jemima smiled at Harry. ‘Justin spoke about you quite a bit. He was very fond of you – don’t worry, I won’t tell Gustav. I always hoped he’d bring you home; you’re famous at our house. Famous here, too, I see. People keep staring at your back and glaring at me.’

Harry glanced over his shoulder. Several nearby wizards and a couple of witches waved. He looked back quickly. 

‘Sorry about that. It’s all political, I’m afraid.’

‘Yes, I know.’ She laughed at Harry’s look of surprise. ‘I know I look as though I spend my days moaning that Selfridges is full of chavs and Peter Jones has nothing I want, but Justin wrote to Em and me the whole time he was at school. We’re quite well-informed about your world and about you in particular.’

‘Ah. That’s … that’s me at a disadvantage. I did know you two existed …’

‘He’s _terrible_ , isn’t he? You two were seeing each other for ages and he refused to bring you to a family dinner.’

‘It was very casual,’ Harry stammered.

‘Yes. Shame.’

Harry laughed. ‘It is a shame he waited this long to introduce us, I have a terrible feeling you’re a very bad influence and loads of fun.’

Jemima grinned. ‘Justin always said you were smarter than you looked! Ooh, who’s that hottie in the middle of the dance floor?’

Harry followed her pointing finger over his shoulder to where a fine specimen of manhood was moving with surprising grace. 

‘Him? Oliver Wood. Pro-Quidditch player. He’s really nice. I was on his team at school.’

‘No, I know who Wood is. Justin always had a poster of him on his wall at home. The bloke with him.’

Harry turned around properly to look. Wood’s partner spun into view. Harry’s first impression was of a tall, lithe figure with pale hair and a bright, happy smile. His hormones immediately registered the man as attractive, which was a shame because about half a second later his brain registered the man as Draco Malfoy.

‘What the bloody hell is he doing here?’

‘Ex-boyfriend?’ Jemima asked understandingly.

‘What? No! God no. He’s … he’s Draco Malfoy, he works at the Ministry. He was at school with Justin and me.’

Jemima peered across for a better view. ‘Oooooh, so _that’s_ Malfoy. It all makes more sense now.’

‘What does?’

‘Nothing. Em, see that boy there? Draco Malfoy.’

Emily turned away from Gustav for a moment. ‘Where? Oh, right.’ She looked at Harry and then back to Malfoy. ‘Yeah. Yeah, I can see that, now.’

‘See what?’ Harry asked, but Emma had returned to her conversation with Gustav.

‘Jemima, we had the start of a beautiful friendship …’ Harry said.

‘Relax. I’m going to tell you. When you were all at school, Justin thought you might have liked boys because you spent all of one year following that Malfoy boy around. And he was going to say something to you, but then you ended up going out with a girl, so he was relieved he hadn’t. And then years later he ran into you in a bar and you took him home, and the next time we saw him he was crowing that he’d been right about you all along and that Malfoy must have just been so high maintenance, he sent you back to women. Temporarily.’

Harry realised his mouth was open, and snapped it shut. ‘Why would you have these conversations?’ he managed after a moment.

‘It was a whole new world for Justin, and you were the most famous person in it. We found you endlessly fascinating.’ Jemima smiled broadly at the horror on Harry’s face, then her look grew more thoughtful. ‘We thought it was all some lovely fantasy until Justin came home battered and bruised at the start of his seventh year. Put wards up around the house and spent most of the year reading textbooks and confining himself to the garden. He was lucky it’s a big garden.

‘Still,’ Jemima’s smile returned. ‘It’s suddenly all clear why you spent a year following that boy around.’

‘It was because he was _evil_ ,’ Harry insisted.

‘Drinks!’ Justin announced, returning with a large tray. ‘Sorry it took so long, everyone wanted a word. How are you all getting on?’

‘Famously!’ declared Jemima. ‘I’ve managed to mortify Harry and I finally have a face to put to the name of Malfoy.’

‘Good work for five minutes,’ Justin congratulated her, then looked round. ‘Oh, right, there’s Malfoy with Wood. I had such a crush on him at school …’

Harry looked at Justin sharply.

‘Wood,’ Justin clarified. ‘All that leather and rah-rah Quidditch … and the way he used to make sure all the first years were all right whenever there was deadly peril about. He’s still gorgeous, like a slightly less-handsome version of Gustav.’ 

‘Gustav’s talking to Emma,’ Harry said.

‘Cheers. In that case, phwoar! And it looks like Malfoy’s in luck.’

‘They’re just dancing. Actually, I need to have a word with Malfoy …’

‘Now might not be the best time. Harry? Harry …’

Ignoring Justin’s disapproving tones, Harry headed out onto the dance floor. He had been telling the truth, earlier – his dance moves were all but non-extant, so he simply walked up to Wood and smiled. 

‘Hiya, Harry!’ Wood grinned, shouting over the music. ‘Good to see you! Are you here with Justin?’

‘Here to support him, but I came on my own. I was just hoping for a quick word with Malfoy.’

Malfoy’s smile had gone, and he was staring at Harry in disbelief, but to his credit, he rallied quickly when Wood turned to him. 

‘Yes, of course. I’ll be in your office first thing in the morning. What time do you start?’

Harry felt a twinge of guilt, and was prepared to admit defeat, but Wood unexpectedly came to his aid. ‘It’s probably urgent, Draco. Harry wouldn’t interrupt, otherwise. You go, I’ll catch you later.’

Before Harry could confess that it was anything but urgent, Wood had patted him on the shoulder and disappeared into the crowd. Malfoy gazed after his departing back forlornly.

‘Um,’ said Harry.

Malfoy turned to look at him. ‘All right,’ he sighed. ‘Let’s at least go over to the conversation pit so I can hear you.’

Harry had no idea that there was a conversation pit, let alone its location, so he let Malfoy lead the way. Sure enough, at the back of the central bar there was a flight of stairs down into a lower area filled with comfortable armchairs, side tables and muffling spells to keep the pounding music at background level.

‘Right,’ said Malfoy shortly, dropping into a convenient chair. ‘Has Beeton managed to accidentally abduct any more schoolchildren? Or is there a Merpeople revolt you need me to do the paperwork on?’

‘What?’ Harry took the chair opposite. ‘No. Nothing like that. It’s … well, actually, it probably could have waited until tomorrow.’

Malfoy blinked at him. Harry could have sworn he saw his lips moving, but it looked as though he was counting, which made no sense.

After a moment, Malfoy spoke. ‘So, given it could have waited until tomorrow, why did you feel the need to speak with me tonight?’

Harry was conscious of a tone that was uncalled for. ‘Relax, you were just dancing.’

‘Yes, but I was dancing with Oliver Wood!’

‘No need to shout, I know who Wood is.’

‘Wood, voted _Wicked Wizard_ ’s Most Beddable Bod three years in a row! And he was dancing with _me_!’ 

‘Oh. Oh! Right.’ It was Harry’s turn to blink now. ‘Sorry. For some reason I never considered the possibility that you and he …’ He stood up quickly. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll go and get him back.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ Malfoy stood and grabbed Harry’s arm to stop him. ‘What did you think we were doing? How naive are you? Don’t answer that. Anyway, he’s dancing with that hardly-dressed person, now. Disgraceful.’

Harry felt a wave of remorse, and was slightly horrified to realise it was for the lie he had just told rather than for the intrusion that preceded it. He had been saving Wood from himself, he rationalised. But, in fairness, Wood was old enough to make his own choices. After a quick mental battle, his sense of fair play was victorious.

‘I can go over and explain, I’m sure he’d rather be dancing with you. Probably.’

Malfoy let go of his arm and sat back down. ‘You really do exist to ruin my life, don’t you?’

‘I don’t do it intentionally.’

‘That isn’t the comfort you seem to think it is. Sit. Tell me what you wanted to, and at least that will be done.’

Harry sat. ‘I was just wanting to apologise for my rudeness.’

‘When?’

‘This afternoon. I was patronising, and while I didn’t mean to be, it was still wrong of me. You’re doing an excellent job, which is what I was trying to say.’ He spoke quickly to get the words out. Malfoy nodded understandingly, so much so that Harry smiled. ‘Do you mean to tell me that I’ve caused all this fuss and you didn’t even notice I was being rude?’

‘Oh, I noticed. I was just wondering which time. You’ve been consistently rude to me for the last eighteen years, after all.’

‘That’s hardly fair,’ Harry bridled.

Malfoy appeared to think for a moment. ‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘To be accurate, you were pleasant enough the first time we met, ambivalent the second, and then you saved me from hideous death in the Room of Requirement. I think that’s the lot. Every other time, you’ve been consistently rude.’

Harry gaped. ‘What about the days I ignored you?’

‘Snubbing.’

‘Oh that’s just ridiculous. I’m trying to be an adult, why do you have to be so objectionable?’

‘We hate each other, Potter.’ Malfoy stood up and patted Harry on the head with more than a soupçon of condescension. ‘ _And_ you nicked my wand.’

Malfoy was halfway back to the dance floor before Harry recovered enough to yell after him: ‘I won it in a duel!’

Malfoy turned around and half-closed the distance between them. ‘You grabbed it from my hand when I was half-conscious. If that was a duel, it was the feeblest in wizarding history.’

Harry would have argued, but … ‘I beat Voldemort with it. That counts for something.’

‘Good night, Potter.’

Harry watched him go, all the way out the door, leaving Wood dancing with his semi-naked young man. Malfoy had been right, that was disgraceful.

Shaking his head at himself, Harry went straight to the bar. Justin was bound to say something accurate, and it would be just as well to face it fortified.

\-----------------------

Harry saw Malfoy several times in the Ministry over the following weeks, which was to say that he made fleeting eye contact followed by a leisurely view of Malfoy’s rapidly retreating back.

Hermione had threatened to hex him when he reported their last interaction, but given there was no subsequent resignation, and Harry had turned up of his own free will to amuse Rose on three occasions in the one week, she had forgiven him. Ron was still giggling unkindly at random moments, though.

It could have been worse, Harry consoled himself. It could have been a Friday morning, with Justin Finch-Fletchley running down a Ministry corridor towards him dragging Malfoy and shouting that he needed Harry’s help. Sadly, Harry discovered this through experience, and he was right, it was worse.

‘We need an Auror!’ Justin panted. ‘Someone who is good with Muggles and centaurs.’

Harry held up his hand. ‘Slow down. What’s happened?’

Malfoy answered: ‘Centaurs in Cumbria.’

‘What?’ Harry realised there were many non-Auror ears in the corridor. ‘Into my office, through here.’

He led the way, instructing Aurelia to keep everyone else out, and shut the heavy door behind them. ‘Right, from the beginning. Which one of you has the details?’

Malfoy deferred to Justin, who took up the tale. ‘My sisters and I were up in Cumbria – we go there every second year with some friends of ours. We were all out on a ride before breakfast and I saw what I thought were wild ponies. I was just about to draw everyone’s attention to them when I realised they were actually centaurs. I pretended I needed to tighten my horse’s girth, and waited until the others were out of view, before I went over to investigate. I couldn’t get close, but I am certain they were centaur foals.’

‘Foals? In Cumbria? That’s an awfully long way form the Forbidden Forest.’

‘Yes, I know,’ said Justin. ‘I couldn’t get close enough to talk with them, even when I sent some sparks through the trees so they’d know I was a wizard rather than a Muggle. So I gave up and concentrated on keeping my friends away. Once I had everyone safely back inside the castle I feigned a desperate need to visit Beatrix Potter’s house and fled in the car until I could find somewhere to Apparate.’

Harry and Malfoy started to speak at once. ‘Castle?’ said Malfoy. ‘Just how rich is your family?’

‘Beatrix Potter?’ said Harry. ‘The talking rabbit lady?’

Justin just managed to avoid rolling his eyes at each of them. ‘It’s not our castle, it’s the Howards’, and they rent it out to anyone with deep enough pockets. So the answer to your question is rich enough to rent one. As for you,’ he turned to Harry, ‘It’s Peter Rabbit. How can you not know that?’ 

‘I lived in a cupboard at home and at school the librarian was instructed to keep me from anything that might encourage my alleged criminal tendencies,’ Harry explained.

‘Oh. I’m so sorry, I had no idea. I really should have read one of your biographies at some point …’

Justin’s embarrassment was so charmingly _him_ that Harry couldn’t help grinning. ‘Don’t be ridiculous, you know the actual me. No need for reading up.’

Malfoy coughed. ‘If you two are quite done. Finch-Fletchley here ran into my office declaring it was an emergency. Having heard his story twice now, I think he was right. We need one of your Aurors. Someone good in a corner, who is passably fluent in Muggle and will be able to work with the centaurs without taking a hoof to the forehead.’

Harry nodded. ‘Yes, well that’s easy enough. Me. I’ll grab my cloak.’

This time it was Justin and Malfoy who spoke together. Both said ‘No!’ and then glared at the other. 

‘No cloak,’ said Justin, quickly. ‘I really don’t want to Obliviate my friends. I was hoping that we could just sneak a couple of Ministry officials in for a day or two, and problem solved.’

Malfoy followed hard on the end of Justin’s words. ‘And since I am one of those Ministry officials, you can’t be the other one.’

‘You?’

‘Obviously me,’ Malfoy said determinedly. ‘It’s the most significant Department of Co-operation with Magical Creatures, Beings and non-Wizarding Part-Humans issue to arise so far during my administration. It’s not as though I can hand it on to the Centaur Liaison Office, is it?’

Harry brightened. ‘Why not? That sounds perfect!’

‘Because it’s an empty office. How can you not know that? And none of your rubbish about deprived childhoods.’

‘It’s a euphemism,’ Justin whispered while Malfoy ranted. ‘The centaurs refuse to liaise, so being sent to the Centaur Liaison Office means you’re about to get the sack.’

‘Oh, right …’ Harry nodded. ‘That makes sense. Anyway, none of this changes the fact that I’m the best-qualified Auror, so you’ll have to find someone else, Malfoy.’

Malfoy glared. ‘Unfortunately for you, I specialised in Centaur Law, which makes me the best qualified in my department.’

‘Excellent!’ said Justin. ‘The two top people – I couldn’t have asked for better. But neither of you can go looking like that. Meet you in the Atrium in ten minutes, leave your robes behind, and I’ll kit you out in Muggle before we head up to Naworth. Lovely! Thanks, it’s such a relief.’

He was gone before either Harry or Malfoy could say anything. Which left them glaring at each other and feeling faintly ridiculous. 

‘All right. Fine,’ said Malfoy. ‘I’m off to let everyone know I’ll be out in the field.’

‘How long do you think it will take?’ Harry wondered.

‘Surely we ought to be able to manage it in an afternoon,’ said Malfoy, but his voice was less than certain. 

‘So why is Justin going to kit us out? And what’s he kitting us out in? How can you not have asked him all of this?’

‘You didn’t either.’

‘I was too busy arguing with you.’

Unexpectedly, a burst of laughter erupted from Malfoy. Harry looked at him blankly.

‘We’re so good at being adults,’ Malfoy said, shaking his head. ‘It’s like being back at school. I spent so much energy arguing with you in first year that I received a D in History of Magic. Narrowly avoided a T, in fact. You’d think I would have learned my lesson by now. Atrium in ten minutes. I suggest you tell your team we’ll be a couple of days at most – that should cover all eventualities.’

‘Right,’ said Harry, but Malfoy had already left.

Ron was sitting on Aurelia’s desk in Harry’s outer office. ‘I hear you have centaur problems,’ he said as Harry stuck his head out of the door to call for Aurelia.

‘I was just about to shout for you,’ Harry said.

‘I foresaw this eventuality,’ said Ron with a grin. ‘Actually, Mallard came running in to tell me she’d seen you heading in here with Malfoy, and so I should hurry in case things went pear-shaped.’

‘What were you planning to do?’

‘Take photos for the _Prophet_.’ Ron grinned at the face Harry pulled. ‘Anyway, you were coming to look for me, what’s up?’

‘Centaur foals roaming around in Cumbria. Justin thinks they’re lost. Malfoy and I are heading there with him to see what’s up. We could be a few hours, could be a couple of days. I’m leaving you in charge.’

Ron frowned. ‘You’re going out on a mission with Malfoy? Is that really a good idea? Ten of us with brooms could sweep the area thoroughly in an afternoon.’

‘Justin is very opposed to us Obliviating any of his friends.’

‘Oh, that’s just ridiculous …’

Harry thought for a moment. ‘Actually, I’ve met some of his friends. It’s probably best not to mess with their minds.’

‘All right.’ Ron jumped off the desk. ‘So, what, you two are going to sneak in and investigate while Justin distracts all the Muggles?’

‘I have a terrible feeling that Justin wants us to go in undercover.’

‘And you’ve bowed to his operational expertise?’

Harry pulled another face. ‘We work with the community where we can.’

‘So the fact that he’s your ex-boyfriend means nothing.’

Harry frowned and flicked his glance meaningly towards Aurelia.

‘Don’t mind me, Mr Potter,’ she said, cheerfully. ‘And Mr Weasley, I think he’s trying to indicate that they were never officially in a relationship and that he subsequently feels somewhat guilty where Mr Finch-Fletchley is concerned, and is more likely than usual to agree to ridiculous things.’

Ron grinned. ‘Which, given his usual penchant for the ridiculous …’

‘Exactly.’

‘I have other friends,’ Harry reminded Ron.

‘Yes, but they’re also mine. And even if you could get rid of me, you can’t get rid of Aurelia because you’d never to work out her filing system.’

‘It’s alphabetical,’ Aurelia added, slyly.

Harry shook his head sadly. ‘I would hope that the Chief Auror would be accorded respect.’

‘You are, sir’ Aurelia assured him. ‘Whenever anyone else is around.’

‘We function to keep you humble,’ Ron added. ‘Now come on. You’re headed off to Cumbria for somewhere between two hours and two days, with Malfoy of all people, in search of centaur foals. And I’m in charge while you’re gone. What else?’

‘That’s it. The only ongoing operation is the potion smuggling ring that you’re overseeing. Just keep an eye on people wanting to work late, the overtime budget is minimal this month.’

‘Right-io. Have you told Kreacher?’

‘No, I should send an owl …’

‘If you’re not back before I head home tonight, I’ll drop in at yours and let him know.’

‘Cheers, you’re a mate.’

‘If I’m lucky, he’ll have cooked dinner for you and someone will have to eat it. When are you heading off?’

‘Now. Meeting Justin down in the Atrium. He says he has to kit us out.’

‘Ooh! Muggle clothes! Can I get Dad? He’d love to have a look.’

‘No time. Anything I need to sign for you, Aurelia, before I go?’

‘Did you finish the papers on your desk?’

‘Yep.’

‘That’s all for now. Is there a forwarding address if we need you?’

‘Um, Cumbria … Justin said the Howards owned it, er, maybe Naworth?’

‘Naworth Castle,’ said Aurelia briskly. ‘Logging you in now, sir. Have a lovely trip, good luck with the centaurs.’

‘Thanks, Aurelia.’ Harry took off his Auror robe and hung it on the coat rack he kept for that purpose. ‘Right. Off. See you both shortly, I hope!’

As the doors of the lift closed, Harry wondered if he ought to have brought his broom. He had grabbed his Invisibilty Cloak, which would probably help in the sneaking about department, but a broom would have allowed him to travel further, faster. Apparating was well and good, but you missed things along the way. 

The lift stopped at level four and let in a large broomstick, followed by a cross-looking Draco Malfoy who was talking rapidly to one of his staff members. 

‘Durrant is not allowed to make any policy decisions while I am gone, and if he tells you otherwise, you are to look at his contract which specifically sets out the limits of his role. The man’s a gibbon. He can sign pieces of paper that you think need to be signed, and that’s it. Tell him to make you all tea if he complains he’s underemployed. Ask Beeton if you need a second opinion on anything – he’s overly nervy but generally sound. I’m going to try to wrap this all up as quickly as I can and get back here before any fresh problems can arise. If Potter doesn’t lummox it all up, I should be back by the morning. What’s that face for? He’s behind me, isn’t he?’

‘Hello, Malfoy,’ said Harry.

Malfoy turned around, with a completely unconcerned face. ‘Potter. No broom?’

‘I couldn’t think of a plausible reason for taking one to a Muggle residence,’ Harry admitted.

‘Why would you need a reason?’ Malfoy asked, and with a murmured Charm shrunk his broom to a few inches, before popping it into his trouser pocket.

So many inappropriate jokes occurred to Harry all at once that he was momentarily tongue-tied.

‘Owl me immediately if there are any problems,’ Malfoy finished. ‘Serious ones, at least. And if Durrant decides to take the day off because I’m not around to notice, let him – he can’t do any harm from home.’ 

‘Good luck, sir!’ said the young wizard, as Malfoy let go of the door to allow it to close.

The lift was nearly at level eight before Malfoy spoke again: ‘It’s quite important to my department that we build some sort of relationship with the centaurs.’ 

‘I see,’ said Harry.

‘So, try not to cock it up, would you?’

‘I’ve always got on very well with centaurs,’ Harry said. ‘Well, almost always,’ he amended in strict accuracy. ‘If there’s any cocking up, it won’t be my fault.’

Malfoy managed to rein in a sneer. ‘Well, since it certainly won’t be mine, we should be fine then.’

‘Good.’

‘Marvellous.’

The lift doors binged and opened before they could enter into a war of politeness. 

Justin was waiting for them in the Atrium beside the tasteful water feature that Kingsley had installed after the war as a pointed replacement of any sculpture. A grilled well at the bottom collected coins for the under-privileged, and Harry was surprised to see Malfoy rummage in his pockets and casually toss in a few Galleons as they passed it.

‘You two ready?’ Justin asked brightly. ‘I’ve brought clothes enough, you’re both about my size. But I think you’ll need boots.’

He passed each of them a rucksack. Harry opened his quickly and found it stuffed with worn clothes, mostly tweedy, with some waxed cotton rolled up on top. 

‘I’ve rung and told everyone that I’m bringing up a couple of friends I ran into, and that you’re on a rambling holiday. Can either of you draw?’

‘I’m passable,’ Malfoy said.

‘Good.’ Justin passed him a small leather bag with fold-up easel strapped to it. ‘I got carried away and said that one of you was an artist. It was the only reason I could think that anyone would take a rambling holiday in this day and age, unless you’re over fifty, or a weirdo.’

Aware that both men were staring at him, Justin stuttered to a halt. ‘I’m a club owner,’ he said, defensively. ‘The cover stories I usually tell are all along the lines of “No, madam, I haven’t seen your husband since we were at school together.”’

‘You’re fine,’ Harry told him. ‘I think Malfoy will make an admirable artist, he’s got an artistic fringe. And I am excellent at walking, so I will be fully believable as a rambler. Are we going to Floo anywhere, or do you want to Apparate us straight to your car?’

‘Footwear,’ said Justin, pointing at Harry’s knee-length black boots and Malfoy’s highly polished patent slippers.

Malfoy pulled two Sickles from his pocket. ‘Let me,’ he said. ‘What size are your feet?’ he asked Harry. 

‘Nine.’

Malfoy placed the Sickles on the ground and Charmed them into two pairs of serviceable, slightly worn walking boots.

‘That’s terrific,’ Harry said. ‘What’s the spell?’

‘Trade secret,’ Malfoy replied primly.

‘Thank Merlin, I was dreading taking the two of you shopping,’ Justin muttered. ‘Come along, there’s no more time to waste.’

\-----------------------

They changed on the side of the road, in the shelter of Justin’s car. Not that they really needed shelter, the road being entirely quiet save for a curious cow watching them between mouthfuls of grass.

Harry didn’t say anything, but the boots were surprisingly good. He had been relieved: new boots always took a few days to break in, so he had planned to Transfigure his Auror pair, and they never went back exactly the same.

The clothes Justin had packed for him were a strange assortment. The trousers were quite new, as were the several well-cut linen shirts, but the cardigan and jacket that went with them had seen better days, and the mackintosh was practically an antique. There was an assortment of gloves, scarves, caps, hats and socks that were all made out of soft and warm fabrics, but none seemed to match the other, save a few of the socks. Harry was convinced he presented an eccentric appearance, but Justin pronounced him perfect, and the similarly dressed Malfoy likewise.

‘I’ve told everyone you’re old chums from school. As far as my friends are concerned, I attended a small private Scottish school for prodigiously talented children, so if you could at least pretend to be brilliant, I’d appreciate it very much. I plan to pretend your minds are so highly trained that you’ve managed to miss every single popular culture reference for our generation. So as long as you try not to be too weird, I think we’ll be fine. My sisters are both safe – if things look grim, they’ll help you out. And, of course, we’ll go out for a ride as soon as we possibly can. If we’re lucky, we’ll find the centaurs straight away.’

‘Ride?’ said Malfoy. ‘How will we keep that quiet in the daylight? And Potter hasn’t brought a broom.’ 

‘On a horse,’ Justin clarified. At their blank expressions, his shoulders dropped. ‘Neither of you have any idea how to ride a horse, do you? Okay. That’s not a disaster. It’s not unlike riding a broom. Or, in your case, Harry, a hippogriff, a thestral or a dragon.’

‘Show-off,’ Malfoy muttered.

Justin ignored him. ‘Are either of you any good at Legilimency?’

‘Quite good,’ said Malfoy.

‘Passable,’ said Harry.

‘Right, Harry first. Look into my eyes and try to take it all in.’

Justin’s memories were surprisingly clear. Harry felt the muscles in his legs shift and contract in sympathy with Justin’s, and experienced how he knew his place in the saddle through his arse. It was true, the experience was not unlike flying. The hands were harder, but he gathered the salient points of how to hold the reins and communicate with the beast through hands, bum and legs. 

‘It’s all about balance,’ said Justin. ‘And you’re good at that.’ With a wink he finished up the mental package with a private moment that had passed between the two of them several months ago, to underscore his point. 

‘Why are you winking at him?’ Malfoy asked. He looked from Harry to Justin and back again. ‘Oh, Merlin! That’s disgusting!’

‘Relax,’ said Justin, unfazed. ‘You’re getting the edited version.’

Harry watched as Malfoy plucked the memories from Justin’s head, frowning and nodding as though he were studying for a particularly hard exam. At least he was taking the case seriously, Harry thought. Hermione was right, Malfoy did seem determined to do a good job with Creatures.

‘I think that’s everything I can do,’ said Justin after a minute. ‘From hereon in, it’s mostly going to be up to the two of you.’ He paused. ‘Try not to do anything too ghastly, I quite like these people.’

The car ride to the castle was more of an adventure than Harry was expecting. Justin did the driving, even though Harry had a licence now (‘It’s a manual,’ Justin had apologised. ‘I’m sure you’re very good, but these roads aren’t the best.’) and Harry had planned to sit back and enjoy the views, but the back of his seat was continually clutched my Malfoy, who seemed convinced that every bend in the road spelled their imminent demise. 

Harry turned around. ‘We’re going at a very reasonable speed,’ he said. ‘This car is very safe, there’s no need to worry.’

‘I’m not the least bit worried,’ Malfoy lied, but he let go of the seat back and Harry no longer felt himself being shaken every time they took a corner.

They reached the castle quickly. As they drove down the private road it was situated on, they passed a grassy area opposite the gardens, with several horse trucks and temporary paddocks containing a number of good-looking horses. 

‘They don’t offer riding here, so Xan always brings his up,’ Justin explained. ‘They have shooting, but luckily Ran’s new girlfriend is violently opposed. I can only imagine the horror of you two with guns.’ 

Harry felt there was no need to explain to Malfoy why this made Justin roar with laughter.

They parked at the back, and Justin passed each of them his rucksack from the boot. He gave them a last, nervous, look-over.

‘We’ll be out of here by night,’ Harry said, trying to reassure him.

‘I hope so,’ Justin replied. ‘I’ve had to put you in the same room. There’s only one spare, and Gustav would raise merry hell if I put either of you in with me.’

Harry could feel his goodwill towards Justin evaporating as they walked in through the back of the keep. 

‘I’ll sleep in the car,’ Malfoy whispered to Harry. ‘Or Apparate home. There are some privations one shouldn’t have to bear.’ 

Harry found himself smiling. It wouldn’t, he realised, hurt to do a little bridge-building himself. ‘Does this remind you of home?’ he whispered back.

He had meant it as a joke, but Malfoy weighed the question carefully. ‘Older, but less-coherent construction. There’s been serious remodelling here at some point.’ 

Harry couldn’t help himself. ‘It’s bigger than Malfoy Manor.’

‘No peacocks,’ Malfoy sniffed. Then winked.

Harry stopped in surprise, then dashed to catch up. ‘Was that a joke?’ he whispered. 

‘Oh, Potter,’ Malfoy sighed exaggeratedly. ‘Who seriously misses peacocks?’

‘Milliners!’ said Jemima, appearing from around a corner. ‘I thought I heard a car. Hello, darling.’ She kissed Justin’s cheek loudly. ‘Harry, good to see you! And you’re Draco Malfoy, I’m Jemima Finch-Fletchley. Everyone calls me Mimy, here. Come on through, the others are all in the Dacre Tower telling ghost stories. We’ve put you in one of the rooms there, it’s a nice one.’

‘Malfoy, my sister,’ said Justin following the forms. ‘And ghost stories? It’s not even midday.’

‘Ran’s girl Phoebe swears she saw something last night, so Xan is teasing her about the White Lady and Fan is telling her that all the dead Dacre heirs haunt the place, too, thanks to the Curse.’

‘Curse?’ Harry pricked up his ears.

Jemima looped her arm through his and began leading them in the right direction. ‘Not your sort of Curse, old folk tales. The feudal lords who built this place were your standard bastard variety, so there’s all sorts of fabulous tales associated. Ran’s girl Phoebe is a little bit woolly headed, and the boys are taking terrible advantage of her. They’re very naughty!’

‘Is Phoebe a child?’ Malfoy asked politely.

‘No, Ran’s girlfriend. She met him at St Andrews, so she’s convinced she’s Kate to his Wills, but we’re not certain it was really worth learning her name yet. Though this is her second year here, so she may get him to the altar after all. Right, through here and up the stairs.’

Dacre Tower was an actual tower, which Harry felt quite at home in. About halfway up they left the winding stair for a large, comfortable room full of squishy armchairs and less-squishy young people. 

Justin led them in and did the honours. ‘Everyone, this is Harry and Draco – they were at school with me, which means they’re tremendously clever and since none of you are, I suggest you avoid conversation on anything more complex than the weather. Harry, Draco, this is Xan, whose horses you admired on the way in; Ran, his younger and far more appalling brother; Ran’s girl Phoebe – sorry Phoebs, Mimy has me doing it now – Phoebe who has her own rich and fulfilling life aside from as a girlfriend; this is Fan, who’s really James Fanshawe but he was best friends with Xan at school, so Fan he became; and Bits, Fan’s cousin on his fathers’ side, and Reggie and Daphne Cavendish, Bits’s cousins on her mother’s side, though we’ve known Reggie and Daph since we were babies, haven’t we?’

‘Oh longer, surely,’ said Reggie with a laugh. 

‘And finally, this is Emma, my youngest sister. Emma, Draco at last. The two of you always failed to be in the same place at the same time.’

A chorus of _hellos_ and _pleased to meet yous_ and _how do you do_ ’s was exchanged on all sides. Reggie in particular was full of bonhomie. ‘You’ll have to forgive Justin, he makes us sound like the dramatis personae out of something hideous by Noel Coward. We were all about to kill each other from boredom, so thank God you appeared. Trust Justin to go touristing and run into people! Come and sit down.’

‘Can’t,’ said Justin. ‘Promised the lads a ride before lunch. Can we borrow a few of your nags, Xan?’

‘Oh, do, Xan,’ said Jemima. ‘It’ll save us having to all pretend to have conversation before we’ve eaten.’

Xan was courtesy itself. ‘Of course. Give me ten minutes and I’ll come down with you.’

‘Take fifteen,’ said Justin. ‘I have to show these two to their room.’

The room was nearly at the top of the tower, very much like Harry’s old dormitory at school, but fancier and with only the one double bed. He exchanged a quick look with Malfoy.

‘Car,’ said Malfoy determinedly.

‘Right,’ said Justin. ‘You’re both dressed for riding, and those boots will do, but you’ll probably want gloves – I stuffed a pair in each of your bags, the leather ones. That’s them. You only need to stay on and look good long enough for us to be out of sight of the castle and then we can tie the horses up and continue on foot if we need to.’

‘Why do all your friends have such odd names?’ Malfoy asked.

‘You’re named after a plant,’ Justin told him.

Malfoy sniffed. ‘I’m named after a constellation. And a dragon!’

‘And a plant. Bathroom and loo are both through here, there are extra towels, toiletries are supplied if you want them. I’ve asked the catering team to put some lunch aside for us and told them there’ll be two more for dinner. Let me know if you think you’ll want something special for breakfast. That black phone is for calls outside, the white one is for housekeeping if you need anything. Any questions?’

‘How do you keep up so many Muggle friendships when you spend so much time in our world?’ asked Harry, who had been wondering.

‘My sisters have a genius for social organisation.’

‘What’s a phone?’ asked Malfoy.

‘Harry will fill you in later. Come on, can’t keep Xan waiting.’

Harry was nervous about this part of the plan. He and Malfoy had managed surprisingly well since they arrived by dint of smiling pleasantly and saying practically nothing for a full five minutes. Now here they were walking across slightly damp grass towards paddocks full of half-tonne, slightly neurotic beasts that neither of them had any real experience with. 

He had tucked his wand firmly into his waistband when he had changed into his Muggle clothes, as had Malfoy, which gave him some comfort, but the whinnying and stamping that met their approach took it away again.

Xan led the way, and called out reassuringly to the horses. ‘Shut up, you silly beasts. You lot have had your exercise this morning, you can go back to sluggery. We’re taking these lazybums out.’

He walked towards the four horses in the furthest enclosure. ‘I brought down extras for everyone who’s arriving on the weekend. Really, it’s just as well Justin found you because I was going to have to find volunteers to go out on three of this lot this afternoon before they turn into complete slugs. Milly’s just along so I can keep an eye on her, the silly old dear. Wait here for a mo.’

Xan stopped them beside one of the horse trucks and emerged with three bridles and a saddle and blanket. ‘Here you go,’ he said to Justin, passing the saddle and one of the bridles to him. Harry and Draco took the other two bridles and threaded their arms through them in what they hoped was an authentic manner. Xan loaded each of them with a saddle and blanket, then took them to the temporary paddock and held the gate open for them. 

‘I’m putting you on Rummy,’ he told Harry, indicating a pleasant-faced chestnut in the far corner. ‘He’s easy to catch and a very good boy. A bit overly keen on jumping, keep an eye on him or you’ll find yourself flying over any ditches or fences in the vicinity.’

Harry nodded, and then realised that Xan expected him to go over and catch and saddle the horse. He froze for a moment, then realised that he remembered how to do it, or at least how Justin did it. Nonchalantly, as though it were nothing to do with the horses, he balanced his saddle on the heavy mesh fence, then went to pat Rummy’s neck. 

Clearly this was approved, because Rummy dropped his head, and Harry shortly found that he had managed to secure the bridle, lead him over to the fence, position the blanket and saddle, and even do up the girth without mishap. 

He turned around with a satisfied grin on his face, to find that Justin and Malfoy were already leading their mounts out of the paddock ahead of him. Xan was nodding approvingly. 

‘You must have had a good riding teacher at that school of yours, Jus. These two have that nice, quiet manner you have. And look at that,’ he turned back to grin at Harry who had stopped to tighten the saddle girth. ‘Nice walking around and checking. Not like Fan who always wants to just go an elbow to the ribs to get them to breathe out. That’s lovely. Right, you three take good care of them. Got phones?’

‘Yep,’ said Justin. ‘We shouldn’t be long. Back by two at the latest, and we’ll come in earlier if the rain returns.’

Xan waved them off until they disappeared from view. For the first few minutes after that, Harry and Malfoy let Justin lead the way, concerning themselves mostly with allowing Justin’s memories of how to ride to cancel out their own bodies’ insistence that they had no idea how to do this.

‘Xan seems nice,’ Harry said at last. ‘Really concerned about the animals.’

Justin nodded. ‘Xan is keener on horses than practically anything else. Jemima might be the possible exception. Come on, I saw them over this way this morning, they can’t have gone too far in four hours of daylight.’

‘Oof – this is not like riding a broomstick, Justin,’ Malfoy complained. ‘Banjo is much wider, for a start.’

‘Stop whining, there’s a clearing up ahead, we can dismount and – oh!’

The clearing opened up ahead of them, revealing three shining centaur foals dozing in the sun. The black one closest to them opened his eyes suddenly, took one look, cried ‘RUN!’ and wheeled off into the dense surrounding trees, followed by a smaller palomino and bay roan.

Harry did not stop to think, but instead moved forward in his saddle and brought his thighs in at the same time as giving his horse more rein. Rummy required no more encouragement and was quickly galloping after the escapees. 

Xan’s warnings about Rummy were entirely accurate. Harry found himself being taken over fallen trees and small streams, all the time gaining in the chase. Behind him he could hear two sets of hooves, then one, then none. Typical. Harry pulled his wand and sent a stream of sparks ahead of the fleeing foals. ‘We’re wizards!’ he shouted. ‘We’re here to help you!’

This was apparently not encouraging news to the foals, as they ran directly under the low-hanging branches of a sprawling yew, which allowed just enough room for Rummy, but, alas, not for Harry, too. 

Seconds before being scraped off, Harry watched in surprise as the canopy lifted, allowing him safe passage. 

‘We’re wizards,’ Malfoy shouted at him as he caught up. ‘We can also help ourselves.’

Harry stared at him, then down, then back up. ‘Your horse …’ 

‘Flying Charm. Seemed safer since we don’t know the terrain. Faster, too. Shall I?’

‘Thanks.’

Harry felt the sudden loss of contact with the ground, and Rummy’s momentary bewilderment, then the horse’s glee as he realised that gravity was no longer the inflexible thing it had previously been. 

Ahead of them, the foals realised that they could no longer hear pounding hooves following, and slowed a little. Rummy, encouraged by the fact that one leap now encompassed thirty feet upward and sixty forward, bounded ahead of them and sent them wheeling about, to where Malfoy and his rather large Banjo were already blocking the retreat.

Cornered, the black foal plunged his hands into the bag strung across his chest, and pulled them out holding a bow and nocked arrow, along which he sighted Harry mercilessly. ‘My name is Bassano, and you do not know the trouble you will be in if you do not let us go now.’

Harry did not blink. ‘My name is Harry Potter, and I know exactly how much trouble you’re already in.’

Bassano lowered the bow. ‘Harry Potter? Really?’

‘Of course it’s him,’ said Malfoy. ‘Stupid glasses, scar, dreadful hair, superior and yet thick …’

The three foals all turned around and stared at Malfoy, who stopped listing Harry’s faults for a moment. ‘Draco Malfoy, head of the Department of Co-operation with Magical Creatures, Beings and non-Wizarding Part-Humans,’ he introduced himself. ‘At your service. We’ve come to find out how you three got here, and do what we can to get you home again.’ 

The smallest foal, the little roan, clapped her hands prettily. ‘Home, Bassano! They can take us home!’

‘Hush, Domena, we’re doing perfectly fine on our own.’

‘We’re not,’ said the third foal. ‘We don’t even know where we are.’

‘We do!’ insisted Bassano. ‘We’re south of some mountains and a river or two, and near a castle. And we’re in a forest.’

‘Can’t you tell where you are by the stars at night?’ Harry asked.

Domena shook her head sadly. ‘They don’t let you do navigation until you’re ten. We’re only allowed to do predictions.’

‘What did the stars tell you?’ Draco asked gently.

‘That we’d be all right, and people would help us, and that we are going to be in awful trouble when we get home. Though that’s mostly Bassano, because Allegaro and I are littler than he is.’

Harry managed not to laugh. ‘How did you end up so far away from where you were meant to be? And how did you not get caught?’

‘We run very fast,’ said Bassano.

‘Away from the people who were trying to help you,’ Draco pointed out.

‘We can take care of ourselves,’ Bassano sulked.

‘We can’t,’ Allegaro corrected him. ‘Could you please help us get home?’

‘Of course,’ said Harry. ‘I’m just going to have a quick word with my colleague and work out how.’

He rode over to Malfoy, aware that Rummy had not bothered to put his hooves back on the ground yet and was instead happily practising a sort of horsey skate. ‘What do you think,’ Harry asked. ‘Could we Apparate them?’

Malfoy gave the foals an appraising glance. ‘If we can find Justin, that’s just one each, but I have to say, I’m not convinced we could get them back without Splinching.’

‘It’d probably just be a bit of mane or tail, though, wouldn’t it?’

Malfoy frowned. ‘What if it was a hoof? Anyway, do you want to have to explain to any of the adult centaurs why their foal is missing half his or her tail?’ He thought for a moment, then offered, ‘I could put a flying charm on each of them.’

‘That’s a brilliant idea!’ Harry exclaimed. Then he thought again. ‘How would we keep three centaur foals going in the one direction at the one speed all the way from here to Hogwarts, in the course of one night, without being seen?’

‘Ride … no. Tie them … no, that won’t work, either. Damn. It was a really good plan!’

‘Even I’ll admit it was,’ said Harry. ‘Okay, we need to think along different lines. Do you know anywhere nearby with a really big Floo connection? Malfoy? Malfoy …’

Malfoy raised a finger and sat, looking thoughtful. After a minute, he spoke. ‘I think I’ve got it. You turned up at school in a flying car once, right?’

Harry nodded. ‘But what’s that got to do with anything?’

‘Did it really belong to Weasley?’

‘Yeah, well – his father’s.’

‘Okay. Okay, I am quite good at Flying Charms, but only on living objects. But if you can get Mr Weasley to come up here and help, I think he and I could probably make the black horse truck fly, and then we could drive them all up to Hogwarts tonight and be back well before anyone wakes up in the morning. It should only take about four hours from go to whoa, pardon the pun, and there’ll be at least six hours of good darkness.’

Harry stared at Malfoy. 

‘It’s worth a try,’ Malfoy said.

‘It’s genius!’ Harry replied. 

‘No need to look so stunned.’

‘According to you it’s my default expression. Anyway, it is pretty astonishing that we’re in agreement.’

Malfoy gave a small smile. ‘We haven’t tried to kill each other all day.’ He unbuttoned his jacket and cardigan and took them off.

Harry watched in growing consternation. ‘What are you doing?’

‘It’s hot,’ Malfoy said, tying the sleeves around his waist. ‘I am cooling down. This is not some garment-based preamble to a homicidal attack.’

‘I didn’t think it was. Who kills people with cardigans, anyway? I was just wondering how you were going to hide your wand without a jacket on.’

‘I’ll think of something before we leave the forest. So, should we tell the foals?’

‘Yes, and then find Justin. I hope he’s not lost …’

With admirable timing, Justin appeared at that moment. The plan was explained in detail, and the foals committed to staying in the one part of the forest, close to the castle, in readiness for moving once night fell.

‘Should I send an owl?’ Justin asked. ‘I can use my phone to call the village nearby they have an owlery at the back of their post office.’

‘No need,’ said Harry. He held his wand and thought of flying. ‘ _Expecto patronum_!’ As the silvery stag materialised, Harry spoke to it. ‘Find Arthur Weasley, we need him to come to Naworth Castle tonight, after sunset, and bring any specialist equipment he needs to make a truck fly.’

The stag bounded away, with the foals looking after it. 

‘So much subtler than an owl,’ muttered Malfoy.

‘Harry,’ said Justin. ‘Did you know your horse is floating?’

‘Yes, Malfoy made them fly so we could catch the foals.’

‘Right. Shouldn’t you put them back on the ground now?’

‘But they’re so happy,’ Malfoy protested.

It was true. Banjo and Rummy were taking the opportunity to hover merrily while their riders spoke. They were nickering cheerfully to each other, and taking it in turns to ascend and descend by a few inches. In contrast, Justin’s horse was looking considerably peeved.

‘You should make the grey fly, too,’ said Domena. ‘And us!’

Malfoy grinned at her. ‘You’re right about the grey, but I think your parents would raise several kinds of official fuss if I were to cast any spells on you. And since I would have to do the paperwork for that fuss, let’s just stick to the horses.’

As the foal stuck out her tongue at him, Malfoy muttered the spell and Justin found his horse leaving the ground, too.

‘Come on,’ said Malfoy. ‘Back to that clearing where you were having a nap. It’s the perfect place to meet up again tonight.’

The ride back was more fun. For one thing, thought Harry, flying horses were decidedly less jerky than galloping ones. Rummy was competing with the other horses for both highest and longest leap, and the foals were amusing themselves running beneath the horses. It was astonishing how little the centaurs bothered the horses, though, given they were seemingly both horse and human, Harry supposed it made sense.

Justin pretended to be cross for all of a minute, then showed off a few of his dressage skills to send his mare pirouetting into the air. 

‘I used to think that being Muggleborn had no advantages,’ Malfoy said to him. ‘But you actually do have some very worthwhile things in the Muggle world.’

‘That’s all right,’ said Justin. ‘I used to think you were a class-obsessed lunatic snake-molester, but you turned out all right in the end.’ 

Malfoy bowed formally, and Justin returned the gesture, before they both began to laugh.

Harry moved Rummy to the rear of the group, wand drawn in case of any prying eyes. It was nice to see Justin laughing so cheerfully. Gustav had been a very good influence on him. 

And as for Malfoy, Harry had never seen him like this. The light that reached between the trees made his hair shine, and his white shirt showed that his skin actually had a little colour to it these days. He supposed that it was only natural he’d thought him handsome at the club the other week. If you overlooked the fact that it was Malfoy, he was all right. 

Too soon they were back in the clearing.

‘We promise we’ll wait here until night,’ said Bassano. ‘We have food, and there is a stream on the other side of the clearing. When we hear you calling, we’ll come straight away.’

‘And if you hear anyone else?’ Malfoy asked. 

‘We’ll hide in the shadows.’

‘Very good. Right.’ He looked down at Banjo. ‘Now, sadly, to take the Charms off you three lovely things.’ 

Banjo looked up at him meaningly.

‘They’ve had such a nice time,’ said Domena. ‘You could leave them on.’

‘They’ll wear off in a year or two anyway,’ Malfoy admitted.

‘Not if you make them self-sustaining,’ Harry suggested. ‘I always just use the permanency part of the perpetually self-inking quill spell. And you could add a caveat that restricted the magic to times when they were unobserved by Muggles.’

‘Isn’t that all a little close to the edge when it comes to the Statute of Secrecy?’ Malfoy asked.

Harry shrugged and smiled. ‘They’re horses. Who are they going to tell?’

Justin made his way to Harry’s side while Malfoy worked out the necessary spellcraft. ‘That was kind,’ he whispered.

‘Hermione wants me to be nice to Malfoy,’ Harry whispered back. 

‘Ah, I see.’

Harry felt Rummy touch down just as the other two descended, also. Rummy turned and glared at him. ‘It’s not permanent!’ Harry insisted, patting the horse’s neck gingerly.

‘They don’t speak human,’ Allegaro told Harry. ‘But I can tell him, if you like.’

‘That would be great. Thank you.’

Allegaro stamped a few times until the three horses were looking at him, then whinnied out a short message. It seemed to work, though Rummy did take one experimental leap, just to be sure.

‘Good work!’ said Harry. ‘Do you speak Horse, or do they speak Centaur?’

‘That was obviously Horse,’ said Malfoy quickly, before any of the foals could be offended. ‘Aurors aren’t famous for their language skills. Come along, Potter, let’s leave these young ones to get some sleep. Big night tonight.’

Harry waited until they were nearly at the edge of the forest before he poked his tongue out at Malfoy’s back.

‘I can feel that,’ Malfoy sang out.

Harry was startled. ‘How did you know?’

‘Guessed, but that’s about when I would have done it. It was for your own good, you were essentially listening to baby talk and asking if it was the greatest poetry in the language, from a Centaur’s point of view.’

‘You’ve put me in a difficult position,’ Harry said.

Malfoy turned in his saddle to look back at him. ‘How so?’

‘On the one hand, I want to be angry with you, but on the other hand that makes perfect sense and I am very much aware that if Hermione were here, she would be congratulating you.’

A smile crept across Malfoy’s face, and Harry was surprised to realise it was even broader than the one he had worn when dancing with Wood. 

‘Thank you,’ said Malfoy. ‘And you are welcome.’

Xan was down at the trucks when they returned. ‘These three look as though they’ve been having the time of their lives,’ he said with a laugh as the horses trotted towards him. ‘Nothing I like better than happy horses. Except for happy clean horses. Brushes are in the same truck the saddles go back into.’

Harry was pleased to find that his memories extended to grooming and watering, and even more pleased that Malfoy struggled with the hoof pick. Rummy, on the other hand, held each of his feet up as nicely as could be and let Harry give them a thorough clean. 

‘Look at you,’ said Xan, ‘rubbing his frogs. You’re as big a softie as Justin. You can ride with me whenever you’d like, you two. And these big lupins agree. I’ve rarely seen them take to people as quickly as to you.’

‘Harry and Draco were always good with animals,’ said Justin. ‘You should ask Draco about his peacocks sometime.’

Xan turned, laughing, to Draco, but was distracted. ‘That’s a very impressive scar,’ he said, looking at Draco’s open collar. Then he frowned and turned to Harry and took in the scar on his forehead and the less discernable ones on his arms and hands.

‘You two don’t just ramble, do you?’ he asked. 

Harry looked over to Malfoy, whose hand went to the wand he had managed to wedge underneath the clothing tied at his waist. Malfoy waited for a signal, which Harry supposed he would have to give, despite Justin …

‘They can’t talk about their jobs,’ Justin said quickly. ‘However I know enough to be able to say that they got those scars in circumstances not unlike you got yours.’

‘I thought so,’ said Xan quietly. He pulled up his left trouser leg to show a jagged red line that followed the line of the bone at the front. ‘Helmand Province, but I was RAF, so I can talk about it freely. You intelligence boys did miracles for us.’

‘We didn’t …’ Malfoy began.

Xan raised his hand. ‘I know, you can’t talk about it, you were never there. But I would like to shake your hand.’

Malfoy looked over to Harry in what seemed like panic. ‘Shake Potter’s, he’s the one you should thank. I was completely …’

‘Malfoy saved my life,’ Harry interrupted. ‘We both just did what needed to be done. Real courage came from those who were there all day every day for months and years on end, like you.’

Malfoy stared at Harry, even as Xan shook his hand. Harry made a better fist of it, patting Xan’s shoulder manfully with his left hand. Then he shook his head at Justin. ‘You are a dreadful person,’ he said. 

‘I am,’ Justin agreed, looking at him thoughtfully. ‘Come on, there’s just enough time to wash before lunch.’

\-----------------------

The caterers had not even begun to serve up lunch, so it was no bother for Harry, Justin and Malfoy to join the others at table. A genteel older couple walked through the dining room and wished everyone well.

‘Having a good day?’ asked the man.

‘Absolutely lovely,’ said Justin. ‘Everything’s perfect.’

‘Marvellous,’ said the woman, before they disappeared again.

‘The Howards,’ Justin explained. ‘Perfect hosts. If you have any problems, they’ll sort them out immediately, otherwise they check in once a day and pretend you’re not here the rest of the time. It’s lovely!’

Conversation went well, with riding, the weather, and the countryside dominating topics. Harry had forgotten how wonderful it was to have a meal where no one expected anything of you. Since the war, he had been mostly the boss, or the honoured guest. Here he was just one of Justin’s weird friends, and someone who Xan liked. 

Malfoy was unusually quiet, Reggie tried to draw him out of his shell by asking how he’d found his mount.

‘Good,’ said Malfoy. ‘Banjo’s a lovely horse, very sweet. I’m a bit sore, though, it’s been ages since I was in the saddle.’

‘We’ll soon fix that!’ Reggie declared with an eyebrow waggle. 

Justin threw a bread-roll, hitting Reggie neatly between the eyes. ‘Sorry, Draco. We don’t normally let him out around strangers. It’s all gone to his head.’

Xan and Harry carried the conversation for a bit with discussion on the best ways for staying warm outdoors in the winter, and how to avoid death from boredom after the first week on a bivouac, Xan being very careful to say ‘Scouting’ every few sentences to cover his tracks. Harry carefully filed the entire conversation away so he could relay it to Hermione later. She would very much appreciate it.

There was one awkward moment when Phoebe asked Harry his opinion on the GFC, which Harry vaguely knew _of_ , having mostly paid attention to Kingsley’s monthly briefings on the state of Muggle politics, but whether it was an economic disaster or something involving livestock, he couldn’t immediately recall …

Xan came to his rescue. ‘Harry can’t talk about politics,’ he said meaningly. Several of the others widened their eyes and nodded in understanding, though Phoebe didn’t. ‘Because it’s hideously dull,’ Xan continued. ‘Bits, tell him and Draco about the time you tied Fan and I to a tree and didn’t let us loose until after you’d eaten half our Easter egg haul.’

At the end of a repast that would have passed muster at Hogwarts, Harry looked to Justin to see what they should do next.

‘Weren’t you two talking about a nap?’ Justin asked. ‘You were saying that after all that walking, the ride had fairly done you in, and thought a few hours postprandial snooze would set you up _for the evening_.’

‘There’s no need to make it sound like a euphemism, Justin,’ said Malfoy, who was somehow able to speak while Harry was busy gaping in horror. ‘We were talking about an actual nap.’

‘The two of you?’ asked Reggie, sadly.

‘Are both equally tired,’ Malfoy replied calmly. ‘Potter? Nap time?’

‘Anything to escape this conversation,’ Harry agreed. ‘I’ll catch you in a few hours, Xan. Make sure we don’t sleep through dinner, Justin.’

‘I will!’ Justin sang out after them.

Harry walked quickly through the castle. When he decided there was no danger of being overheard, he stopped, and leaned against the wall, giggling wildly. Malfoy watched him, bemused.

‘Sorry,’ Harry managed after a few minutes. ‘It’s just that this day has gone from odd to bizarre, with few pauses along the way.’

Malfoy nodded. ‘You think it’s weird for you: I’ve ended up a war hero, and a good few Muggles think I’m going out with the Saviour of the Wizarding World. Here I was, thinking that my best story of the year was the time I nearly got to snog Oliver Wood.’

‘Yeah, sorry about that.’

‘Eh, I’d have been just another notch on his broomstick. While I’d have been pining my heart out over the most magical eleven minutes of my life.’

It was at this point that Malfoy had to take Harry’s arm and help him walk towards their room, or leave him collapsed with laughter in the hall. Luckily for Harry, Malfoy chose the more dignified option.

They were nearly at their room by the time Harry had returned to seriousness. ‘I really am sorry about the Wood thing. I wasn’t being intentionally malicious, but I think I was subconsciously trying … well …’

‘To ruin my life?’ Malfoy finished for him. ‘Don’t worry, I’m used to it from you. Apparently it’s not intentional. Here we are.’

Malfoy let go of his arm and Harry let them in. Malfoy stayed at the door, though. ‘I should go and sleep in the car …’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ said Harry. ‘You take the bed. I’ll take a chair.’

They both looked at the chairs. They were spindly cane things with wickerwork seats and backs. ‘Now who’s being ridiculous?’ Malfoy asked. ‘Look, it’s fine. We can just kick our shoes off and leave our clothes on. We can even stay on top of the covers. We’ve been getting along famously all day, we can keep it up.’

Harry was pleasantly surprised. ‘Of course we can. We’re adults.’

‘You can tell your Granger and I’ll tell Pansy and they’ll both be amazed and tell us we’ve done very well.’

Harry bit his lip so he wouldn’t start laughing again. ‘Hermione and Parkinson are nothing alike.’

‘They would be if Pans used the brains in her head or Granger was more obsessed with her cleavage. Now do you want to wash first or can I?’

‘After you.’

When Harry came out from brushing his teeth, Malfoy had already chosen a side of the bed and was sprawled on it, conscientiously taking up slightly less than half the available space.

‘Should I set an alarm?’ Harry asked, plonking himself down.

‘Justin promised,’ Malfoy reminded him. 

Harry had just started to drift off when Malfoy spoke again. 

‘Why did you tell Xan I saved your life?’

‘You did,’ Harry yawned. ‘At your house, you told your father you weren’t sure it was me. Gave Dobby time to come and rescue us. Then you stopped Crabbe from killing me back at school. Was bossy rather than heroic, but it counts.’

Malfoy said nothing, so Harry closed his eyes again.

‘You saved my life.’ 

Harry gave up and sat up. Malfoy was staring at the ceiling. 

‘In the Room of Lost Things, you came back and saved me. I never knew why.’

Harry shrugged. ‘I suppose it was because you refused to leave Goyle.’

‘What?’ Malfoy looked at him.

‘You wouldn’t leave him. He was unconscious and so fat you could barely lift him, and he’d told you to piss off not five minutes earlier, and still you risked your life to save his. If you could do that, I couldn’t do less.’

A smile twitched at the corner of Malfoy’s mouth. ‘You’re telling me it was competitive lifesaving?’

‘Absolutely.’ Harry dropped back to his pillow. ‘Now shut up and get some sleep. We’re going to be up all night and dealing with centaurs for some of it. Between us we’ll need one functional brain.’

‘You’re right to prioritise mine, in that case.’

Harry would have said something cutting, but sleep was the more attractive option.

\-----------------------

Harry could have sworn it was less than an hour later when there came a rapping on the door, but since the room was quite dark, this obviously couldn’t be true. Beside him, Malfoy sat bolt upright, wand in hand. Harry waved for Malfoy to put the wand away and called out for the person at the door to come in at the same time as clicking the light switch beside the bed.

It was one of the catering staff, carrying a large tray. ‘Good evening, gentlemen. Mr Finch-Fletchley asked me to deliver this with his compliments and apologise for letting you sleep through dinner. He says he looked in earlier and you were sleeping so soundly, he didn’t have the heart to wake you.’

‘Thank you,’ said Harry, as the caterer deposited the food on the bedroom table. ‘If you see Justin, please let him know we’ll be right down.’

‘Certainly, sir.’

Malfoy threw himself off the bed as soon as the door shut. He busied himself taking plates off the tray and uncovering them.

‘Baked salmon, roast veg, steamed pud. Shall I serve?’

Harry had only just made it to fully upright. ‘Go ahead. Is there any tea?’

Malfoy checked. ‘No, only mineral water and wine. Oh, hang on, this one’s coffee.’

‘Why not? We’re going to be up all night anyway.’

Harry sat at the place Malfoy had prepared and tucked into the plate of food provided. ‘It’s good, thank you.’

‘Very little effort on my part,’ Malfoy admitted. ‘About tonight: I’m going to take my broom, do you have your Invisibility Cloak with you?’

‘Do you think we’ll need them?’

‘Can’t hurt. I think I’ll stay in Justin’s clothes, they’re more practical for the forest than my Ministry set. What about you?’

Harry swallowed a roast spud as he thought. ‘Yeah, same. I could probably do with my Auror boots just for the protection, but Reggie’s head might explode if he sees me in them.’

Malfoy laughed, which was a shame because he had just begun to swallow a mouthful and a lengthy coughing episode ensued. After much patting on the back and passing of glasses of water, peace was restored and maintained until the end of the meal.

They had just finished getting ready when Justin appeared at the door. ‘Arthur Weasley is here,’ he said by way of greeting. ‘Are you two ready to go?’

‘No thanks to you,’ said Harry. ‘It’s ten o’clock!’

Justin shrugged and helped himself to some of the leftover vegetables. ‘And the moon will be setting in less than an hour, so you’ll have perfect flying conditions. No point getting you up any earlier, you’d have just risked saying something wholly inappropriate and Reggie would have made more clumsy advances towards poor young Malfoy here.’

‘Your concern for my virtue is touching. Shall we go?’

Justin led the way. The rest of the group were camped out in one of the libraries, with Jemima and Emma overseeing the liberal application of alcohol to cover over any oddities of the evening. Phoebe had already been insisting she had seen an albino stag earlier in the day, but Xan and Fan had mostly convinced her it must have been a wild pony.

Harry didn’t recognise the door they used to leave the castle, but it brought them out close to the temporary paddocks. Arthur Weasley was there, scratching Milly, the old mare, between her ears. Most of the other horses were sleeping, whether naturally or thanks to Arthur, Harry couldn’t say.

‘Hello, boys,’ said Arthur. ‘Harry, I hear you have a mad plan involving a flying truck.’

‘Hello, Mr Weasley. I’m afraid it’s true. Malfoy says he can help, but we need your expertise.’

‘Draco,’ Arthur nodded, a little more formally than was strictly necessary.

‘Mr Weasley,’ Malfoy replied, politely. ‘Shall we get to work on the horse truck while Potter and Justin go and collect the centaurs?’

‘Very sensible.’

Conscious they were redundant, Harry and Justin walked off into the forest to find the foals.

‘They seemed a bit awkward,’ said Justin.

Harry shrugged. ‘Malfoy’s father put Ginny Weasley in mortal peril, and then Molly Weasley killed Malfoy’s aunt, so the families have an odd history.’

‘Still, you two are getting along all right.’

‘Well, no mortal peril as yet, which is quite good, for us.’

They waited until they were well under the tree cover before they each drew their wands and cast a _Lumos_. It took longer on foot, and there were a few stumbles along the way, but the foals were where they were meant to be, and soon enough they had all made it back to the edge of the forest.

Here Harry paused. 

‘I think,’ he said, ‘even though it’s longer, we should skirt round the edge of the tree cover and come at the horse truck from behind, just in case anyone is looking out from the castle.’

‘Is that necessary?’ Justin asked. ‘The caterers have all gone home, the Howards and their staff are asleep, and our lot are well on the way to being drunk on the other side of the building.’

‘It’s just such a clear night …’

‘Do you have your Invisibility Cloak? Throw it over them.’

‘Yes please!’ said Domena. ‘I’d love to be invisible!’

‘It’s not big enough to cover all of you,’ Harry told her. 

‘These three can’t walk together as closely as people can,’ he added, to Justin. ‘It’d probably only cover their bodies, so anyone looking out would see headless horses.’

‘Sounds _wicked_ ,’ whispered Allegaro.

‘No,’ said Bassano. ‘I like the tree plan.’ He trotted off in the right direction, forging a path through the undergrowth.

‘You’re not in charge,’ Allegaro muttered, but they all followed, nonetheless. 

When they broke cover at the back of the paddocks, the black horse truck was gently humming to itself and its gates were open. 

‘Where have you been?’ Malfoy whispered from inside. ‘We’ve been ready for ages. Come on, you three, in you go.’

The foals trotted up the ramp easily enough, but balked when they saw the padded stalls. 

‘You’re not putting us in those as though we were dumb beasts,’ Bassano protested.

‘I’ll be in here with you,’ Malfoy assured them. 

‘Are you sure?’ Harry asked. ‘It would be more comfortable in the front.’

‘I can’t drive, and someone needs to keep an eye on these three. Don’t be put off by the webbing, it’s just to keep us all safe while the truck is being driven, like straps on a broom.’

‘I don’t mind,’ Domena said, and trotted into a stall. ‘There’s loads of room.’

‘Can I share with her?’ Allegaro asked.

‘Yes, of course. All three of you would probably fit in the one stall, in fact.’

‘I’ll take this one,’ said Bassano. ‘So they won’t be crowded.’

‘That’s fine. Do you need anything before we go?’

‘Chocolate,’ said Domena, who Harry was beginning to suspect was the smartest of the trio.

‘Sorry,’ said Malfoy.

‘I’ve got a slightly squashed peppermint bar in my pocket,’ Justin volunteered.

‘That’ll do.’

Harry left them to find hand-holds and lock up the ramp and gate and went to check on Arthur Weasley, who was sitting in the driver’s seat.

‘Evening, Harry,’ said Arthur. ‘Nice night for a drive.’

‘I take it you’re coming along,’ Harry replied with a grin.

‘Wouldn’t miss it. It’s been years since I’ve had my hands on a flying vehicle …’

‘I’m still sorry!’

‘I know you are, son.’ 

Arthur leaned over and opened the passenger door, and Harry scrambled in beside him. 

‘Is this going to work?’ Harry asked.

‘Should. That young Malfoy’s surprisingly good at Flying Charms.’

‘Now all we need to do is avoid damaging the truck and get back before dawn.’

‘Plenty of time. Stop worrying!’

Justin knocked gently on the outside of Harry’s door. ‘All squared away back there. Malfoy says he’s going to sing to the foals to keep them quiet. He also says he has a terrible singing voice and only knows Ten Green Cauldrons, though he plans to start at a thousand, so you’d best be quick or there could be a cross-species incident.’

Harry laughed. ‘We should be all right. Can you keep up the Illusion of there being a truck here until we get back?’

‘I can. I’ll be waiting for you. Though possibly inside with a thermos and a book.’

‘Thank the girls for us.’

‘Will do, safe journey!’

Arthur did not turn the lights on, but rather let the truck roll slowly down the road until it reached the border of the property. Then he picked up speed steadily, until Harry suddenly realised they had left the ground and were in the air.

‘This is so much better than the Ford!’ Harry exclaimed.

‘No,’ Arthur corrected him. ‘My driving is so much better than Ron’s.’

The trip passed without incident. Arthur filled Harry in on the most recent developments at the Burrow, but since he had been there the previous weekend, there was not much news. Harry gave Arthur a quick run-down of the day’s events, making him laugh on several occasions.

‘Hermione’s right,’ Harry concluded. ‘Malfoy’s trying really hard. Maybe people really do change.’

Arthur nodded. ‘Or in his case, grow up.’

After a few minutes, honesty and the sound from the back of the truck compelled him to add, ‘Aside from song choices.’

At eight-hundred and seventy-four green cauldrons, the truck made a bumpy landing near Hagrid’s hut. Arthur quickly cut the engine and Harry banged on the dividing wall for the singing to stop. 

Harry stepped out into the sudden quiet, which was promptly broken by a shattering snore coming from the nearby hut.

Harry opened the rear gate of the truck. ‘How was the trip?’

Malfoy grinned and pointed. Domena and Allegaro had happy faces coated in chocolate and mint, while Bassano was asleep on his feet. 

‘It was terrific!’ Domena enthused. ‘I want to go flying all the time!’

‘That would require an arrangement between centaurs and wizards,’ said Malfoy. ‘Which I am sure we could organise.’

Harry shook his head. ‘Give me a hand with the ramp. We need to get these three home before you thoroughly corrupt the next generation.’

Malfoy helped lift the ramp into place. ‘It’s not corruption, it’s forward planning. Right, you two, out. Bassano? Wake up. You’re home.’

‘I wasn’t asleep. I was meditating.’

‘You snored.’

Bassano ignored him and trotted down the ramp. 

Harry followed him down and looked towards the school. As expected, a figure in a tartan dressing gown was walking swiftly towards them with her wand drawn. He ran to meet her.

‘Professor, sorry, it’s me. Minor centaur emergency.’

‘Harry Potter! Well, I should have guessed. Middle of the night, flying truck, crashing and bashing. Have you got Ronald Weasley there?’

‘His father. And Draco Malfoy. And three centaur foals who got lost a long way away.’

‘Draco Malfoy? Goodness. The world has changed. All right. Mind you be quiet, it’s a wonder you haven’t woken Hagrid.’

‘I don’t think he can hear us over his snoring.’

‘Will you be here for breakfast?’

Harry shook his head. ‘Need to get the truck back to Cumbria by then, and un-enchant it.’

‘Well, come and visit soon. The staff are always asking after you. There’s a new Gryffindor first year who’s a whiz on a broom, and she’s dying to see you. Muggleborn. Though her father’s a footballer, which apparently means something. I’ll leave you to it.’

Malfoy had just finished securing the truck when Harry returned. ‘Any problems with McGonagall?’ he asked. 

‘She was just checking to see who we were. She’s going to leave us to it.’

‘We could always wake Hagrid and make it his problem,’ Malfoy mused.

They listened to another deep rumbling snore, and shook their heads. There would be no waking that.

Arthur appeared beside them. ‘Do you two want a hand taking this lot in? The truck will be fine by itself, if you want me to tag along.’

‘Couldn’t hurt,’ said Malfoy.

Harry shook his head. ‘If we’re delayed, Justin can cover for us not being at breakfast, but not the truck. If we’re not back in time, you’ll have to leave without us. It’ll be fine – Malfoy has a broom, or we can Apparate.’

‘I’ll wait until four-thirty,’ said Arthur. ‘Goodbye, little ones. Try not to get into any more trouble.’

The foals promised that they wouldn’t, and set off into the forest behind Harry and Malfoy.

‘You could just leave us here,’ said Allegaro. ‘We know where we are now.’

‘No!’ said Bassano quickly. ‘We’ll need them to tell our parents where we were so they know we weren’t just hiding. And … and Domena’s afraid of the dark.’

‘I am,’ Domena agreed. ‘Just like you.’

Harry tried very hard to suppress a giggle, which Malfoy made easier by pinching his arm sharply.

‘I’m beginning to suspect that none of you is very old,’ said Malfoy.

‘I’m five!’ Domena declared happily.

‘Six,’ Allegaro confessed.

‘Eight,’ Bassano admitted

‘I think you were tremendously brave to take care of the other two if you’re only eight,’ said Malfoy.

‘Yes,’ said Harry, getting in before he could be pinched again. ‘You even pulled a bow and arrow on someone you thought was a Muggle. That was courageous. Albeit, hopelessly against the Statutes of Secrecy. But you know better now.’

‘My Mummy always says you run for the trees, tossing your hair and whinnying,’ said Domena. ‘That way they just think they’re drunk and don’t say anything.’

‘Your mummy is very wise,’ Harry said. 

‘I miss her,’ said Domena. ‘I hope we find her soon.’

‘I’m sure we will,’ said Harry. ‘Let’s just keep walking until you foals see something that looks familiar, or we hear hooves.’

A half-hour later, they were still walking.

‘You would think,’ said Harry, ‘that given everything is written in the stars, they should have known when and where we were going to be and shown up promptly.’

‘I’ve never put much faith in Divination,’ Malfoy replied. ‘All very wet and amorphous and after the fact. Name one prophecy that ever came true.’

Harry was silent for a moment.

‘Aside from you killing Voldemort. Any one.’

Harry laughed. ‘Should we stop for a rest? Give them a chance to find us?’

‘Yes!’ said the foals in unison.

They sat down in the next clearing, which was pleasantly dry and soft. 

‘You three have a little nap,’ said Malfoy. ‘Auror Potter and I are going to come up with a brilliant plan. We’ll wake you in ten minutes.’

Before he had even finished speaking, the foals were asleep.

‘I hope you have a good plan,’ said Harry. ‘My best one is impersonating Dolores Umbridge, and I think that’s more likely to get us shot than anything else.’

Malfoy shook his head. ‘My best is levitating these three while they’re sleeping, tying strings to their forelegs, and pulling them around behind us like balloons. They’re too tired to keep going, they’re only foals.’

‘How did you get so good at making animals fly?’ Harry asked.

‘This job,’ Malfoy admitted. ‘Goblins are complete bastards to negotiate with, but they think a flying bunny is the greatest comedy the world has ever seen. So I bought a couple of rabbits and trained them up. The bunnies think it’s fun, the goblins think I am a genius. That’s how I managed to convince the board of Gringotts to listen to Shacklebolt’s proposal on taxation.’

Harry had to bury his face in his arms to muffle the sound of his laughter. For a few minutes all he could manage were occasional gasps of ‘Bunnies!’ and ‘Goblins!’ 

Once he had managed to pull himself back together, he forced his face into something approximating serious. ‘I would have thought you’d hate the idea of taxes.’

Malfoy shrugged. ‘It’s worth considering. We do need infrastructure. St Mungo’s can’t rely on charity from the old families forever, and people who are new to money aren’t always the wisest at disposing of it thoughtfully.’ He paused, and looked at Harry. ‘What? Stop gaping. I’m allowed to have reasonable political views!’

‘Of course you are. I’m just …’

‘Surprised.’

‘Impressed.’

‘Ah. Thank you. So, balloon centaurs or Umbridge, which is less likely to get us shot?’

Harry shook his head. ‘Obviously, we unshrink your broom, and you go flying through the forest at a great rate of knots, skilfully avoiding trees, while wearing my Invisibility Cloak, so the centaurs don’t mistake you for a vampire and shoot you.’

Malfoy grinned. ‘You have real issues with vampires.’ 

‘I’m not the one who goes around arresting them.’

‘Beeton was only doing his job. Anyway, why am I borrowing your cloak rather than you borrowing my broom?’

‘I was being nice. And safe – the middle of a forest is not the best place to try out a strange broom.’

‘It’s not the best place to fly a broom you know well, either. But I suppose it’s that or sit here till dawn, or one of us goes in search and the other one guards the foals.’

Harry sat up suddenly. ‘Malfoy, don’t move. There’s a spider.’

Malfoy turned his face slowly in the direction Harry was pointing. ‘What, this?’ He smiled at the small creature on a delicate thread of silk that had descended nearly to his shoulder. He blew gently, making the spider scurry back up the strand, collecting silk as she went. 

‘Sorted,’ he said.

‘Not quite,’ said Harry. ‘Duck!’

Malfoy’s legs obeyed the tone in Harry’s voice and threw him out of the way, just in time to avoid the Stunner Harry threw past him. 

An Acromantula, roughly the size of one of the foals, was blasted backwards, screaming as it went. The foals woke in confusion, Bessano drawing his bow and arrows out as he clambered to his hooves. Malfoy rushed to them, wand drawn, and began to reassure them.

‘It’s all right, Auror Potter was on guard. But we should move further into the forest. That made a lot of noise, and it’s likely something heard it.’

‘I’m scared of spiders!’ wailed Domena.

‘You hold onto my tail,’ Bassano told her. ‘I’ll make sure they don’t get close to you.’

Harry checked on the Acromantula. He didn’t think that he had killed it, but it was hard to be sure. Malfoy came over and took a look.

‘That’s disgusting,’ Malfoy said. ‘Thanks for not letting it eat me.’

‘That’s all right. You’re not huge, so it probably would have come after me next, or the foals, and that would have been a worse cross-species incident than any flotation-related issues. I don’t think Beeton could have managed the paperwork.’

Harry was pleased to see a smile flash across Malfoy’s face. Gnashy-fanged spiders aside, this was turning out to be a reasonably enjoyable evening. ‘Should we press on?’

Malfoy nodded. ‘First complaint about sore hooves and I am floating the lot of them,’ he warned.

‘Floating?’ said Domena. ‘Are you going to make us fly? Oh please! It looked like so much fun!’

Harry clapped his hands. ‘Come on you lot, there’ll be no flying for anyone if we all get eaten.’

It was on the stroke of midnight that they met their first adult centaur. Firenze stood at a crossing in the centre of the path they were taking, head held high, as though he were listening for them on the wind.

‘Well met, Harry Potter,’ Firenze intoned. ‘You have come to return our young, who had wandered. The stars foretold it.’

‘Uncle Firenze!’ cried Domena, galloping forward to barrel into his flank. ‘Oh I _missed_ everyone, and we went ever so far, and the food wasn’t very nice, except for the chocolate. And there was a giant spider that was going to eat us! And we flew in a truck! And Mr Malfoy from the Ministry says that if my Mummy says it’s all right, he’ll put a spell on me so I can fly one day.’

‘Mr Malfoy said no such thing,’ said Malfoy.

Firenze hugged the foal and laughed. ‘You are well. And you Bassano? Allegaro?’

‘We’re fine,’ said Allegaro. ‘Bassano protected us.’

‘Allegaro helped a great deal,’ said Bassano in fairness. ‘And Domena wasn’t very naughty.’

‘I was very good,’ said Domena. ‘Can you please call Mummy?’

‘I will call all your parents,’ Firenze said, lifting a horn to his lips. He blew three deep notes, which rang through the night.

There was a moment of silence as the last note died away, then thundering hooves could be heard from every direction. 

Harry grabbed Malfoy’s arm and drew him close to Firenze, who stood strong and stable and much larger than either of them. 

Bane was the first to arrive. ‘Bassano!’ he cried wildly, and grabbed the foal up in his arms and held him close. Then he put him down and gave him a sharp shake, ‘ _Never_ do that again!’ before holding him tightly again. 

Through it all, Bassano smiled delightedly.

‘Is Bassano Bane’s foal?’ Harry asked Firenze.

‘Could you not tell the moment you saw him?’ Firenze asked.

‘It’s been a long time since I saw Bane,’ Harry admitted.

At that moment, Bane looked up. ‘You!’ he roared, and leapt towards Harry.

Malfoy flung himself in the way. ‘Run, Potter!’ he shouted.

Bane skidded to a halt and looked at them, confused.

‘Why should he run?’ he asked.

Malfoy mirrored the confusion. ‘Because you were attacking him?’

Bane thought for a moment. ‘I meant to say _thank_ you. I feel I left out the vital word.’ 

Harry squirmed out from behind Malfoy. ‘That’s all right. It was our pleasure. The foals were very resourceful and brave.’

Bane looked down at Bassano, who was still tucked under his arm. ‘Is that so?’ he asked with pride.

Bassano nodded. 

‘Mr Malfoy?’ Domena trotted over with a beautiful female centaur in tow. ‘This is my Mummy. Mr Malfoy promised he would do a spell to make me fly if you didn’t make any complaints.’

It was a difficult moment. Bane’s nostrils flared and several of the other adult centaurs looked indignant, but Domena’s mother knew five year olds. 

‘Is that so, dear?’ she asked. She looked up with a smile. ‘And does Mr Malfoy know how to make beasts fly?’

‘He does, actually,’ said Harry. ‘Quite well.’

‘Excellent,’ said Domena’s mother. ‘In that case, we will have a lengthy discussion on the matter at a more opportune time. My name is Reman, you should come and speak with me next week.’

‘Draco Malfoy,’ said Malfoy. ‘From the Centaur Liaison Office.’

There was another pause. This time, Bane broke it with raucous laughter. 

He clapped Malfoy on the shoulder and told him that his mind was admirably convoluted, while Domena insisted that Malfoy should sort things out with her mummy _now_. 

Allegaro waited silently off to one side with two golden palomino centaurs. When he caught Harry and Malfoy’s eyes he pointed at them and mouthed they were his parents. 

‘Come,’ declared Firenze. ‘Celebrate with us!’

Harry’s conscience gave a twinge. ‘Arthur is waiting back at the truck …’

Malfoy pulled a face. ‘Surely we can manage a few minutes …’ 

An hour later, a laden broom more or less flew above the treeline back towards the horse truck. 

‘I told you not to drink that second glass,’ Harry yelled in Malfoy’s ear. ‘Centaurs weigh ten times as much as you do.’

Malfoy turned his head to reply. ‘It was protocol! They were so pleased to find out that the Centaur Liaison was important enough to warrant the head of the department.’

‘You’re just gloating because you finally had a centaur ask a favour from Creatures!’

‘Absolutely! Ow! No need to hold on so tightly!’

‘Tree!’

‘Missed it by miles. Stop panicking. Is that mistletoe on your boot?’

‘I think it’s elm, you didn’t completely miss that one. And stop whining, I’m hardly holding on at all. The last time we were both on a broom you nearly broke my ribs.’

‘We were being pursued by deadly magical fire. It was clearly different. Besides, you were really skinny, there wasn’t much to hold onto.’

‘I had been out starving in the woods!’ Harry protested.

‘All the more reason to accept centaur hospitality! Making up for your years of privation!’

‘That doesn’t make sense!’

‘Shush, I’m about to land. Don’t distract me!’

The landing was actually more successful than most of the flying had been, though it was also loud enough to wake Arthur Weasley, who had been sleeping in the truck.

‘I was just starting to worry,’ he said, opening his door and climbing down. ‘Did you get them all home safely?’

‘We did!’ said Harry. ‘But then Malfoy decided we should have drink with the centaurs and then things were less focussed than they could have been.’

Arthur took a closer look at them. ‘Oh dear … The mud and twigs, I understand, but Harry, there’s an owlet in your hair. Set it free. There’s a good lad. It’s big enough to fly home. Right. Stand still, the both of you. _Scourgify!_ That should be enough to keep the truck clean. As for your heads …’ He shook his own head at them, though he was clearly stifling a laugh. 

‘My apologies in advance, this is going to hurt a bit. _Sobrium rapidus_.’

Harry and Malfoy both dropped to their knees, heads in hands and groaning.

‘Give it a minute,’ said Arthur, soothingly. ‘It will pass before you know it. There you go. Do you need a hand getting up?’

Harry staggered to his feet, then helped haul Malfoy to his. ‘Where did you learn that?’ he asked Arthur.

‘Your father,’ Arthur admitted. ‘He and Sirius invented it back in the Seventies. It was necessary; your mother made him promise not to go out on the town after they got married.’

Harry wasn’t sure whether to be proud or horrified, but was certain he would work it all out by the time his ears stopped ringing.

‘Come along, into the truck. We can all fit in the front this trip. If we shake a leg we can all get back to our respective beds in time for a few hours’ sleep before dawn.’

In fact, Harry and Malfoy were asleep with their heads together about two minutes after Arthur swung the truck into the air. Harry woke only as they bumped back onto the Cumbrian road that led to Naworth Castle. Malfoy opened his eyes, failed to focus, and closed them again.

‘Sorry,’ Harry whispered. ‘I was planning on keeping you company on the drive. That sobering spell’s punishing!’

‘It is. Sirius used to laugh, because he could go home and crash out, while your dad had to pretend he was completely fine until your mother thought it was an appropriate time for them to go to sleep.’

Harry smiled. ‘I like hearing about them. Even the disreputable stuff.’ He looked down at the head on his shoulder. ‘May as well leave him there until we park.’

‘The two of you looked very sweet,’ Arthur teased him. ‘If it wasn’t for the fact you spent your formative years trying to kill each other, I would be charmed and convinced you were a delightful pair.’

‘He’s all right,’ said Harry. ‘Quite good in a corner. He was fun to work with today, and I’ve accidentally let his department score an enormous political coup, but I think Kingsley will be fine with it.’

Arthur nodded. ‘And you? You’re good with it?’

‘Sure. Hermione wants Malfoy to succeed, and I suppose I do, too. He’s … he’s thoroughly decent.’

‘I’m spectacular,’ Malfoy murmured into Harry’s lapel. ‘And brilliant. You said I was brilliant earlier.’

‘I said your idea was brilliant, it’s not quite the same.’

‘Totally the same.’

Arthur smiled at them, and quietly reversed the truck into its space.

Justin was halfway to them by the time Harry opened his door. ‘How was it? Did it all go to plan?’

‘More or less,’ said Harry. ‘Thanks to Arthur, and some quick thinking from Malfoy, combined with my genius for giant spider stunning.’

‘Do I want to know?’

‘No.’

‘Excellent. Arthur, all fine with you?’

‘Surprisingly easy. This is a good truck, far less eccentric than the old Anglia! It’s almost a shame to take the spell off it, we’ve managed about two-hundred-and-fifty miles in a bit over two hours, and for no petrol. I sometimes wonder if, given the climate crisis, it wouldn’t be worth sacrificing secrecy for … well, shouldn’t say such things in front of you, should I, Harry?’ 

Harry pretended he hadn’t heard.

Arthur grinned. ‘Though if I applied for a research grant …’

‘Do I need to clean the truck out?’ Justin asked. 

‘The foals were very careful,’ Malfoy said with a yawn. ‘The only rubbish was a peppermint-bar wrapper, and that’s in my pocket. I’ll clean your jacket before I give it back to you.’

‘Brilliant! Could not have asked for better! You two look done-in, though.’

‘There was a lot of walking,’ Harry explained. ‘And then some fleeing, and then some drinking. All in all this has been quite a big day for one I was planning to spend at my desk.’

‘I understand,’ said Justin. ‘You two may as well go off to bed, and stay for breakfast in the morning. And thanks, Mr Weasley, it was wonderful of you to come up on such short notice.’

‘Not at all. Anything for Harry – and I don’t mind helping out the Ministry’s better plans. I’ve got a question, though. How did the foals get here in the first place? I mean, it’s a hell of a distance, even if they ran the whole way – from what I can work out they’d only been gone a few days. And it’s quite the coincidence that you were here, Justin.’

‘Isn’t it!’ said Justin cheerfully. ‘Very lucky. I don’t suppose we’ll ever know.’

Malfoy shook his head. ‘We’ll know eventually. I’m going to launch an investigation when I go up to talk to Reman.’

Justin frowned. ‘I’m not sure it’s worthwhile spending Ministry funds on something so unlikely to succeed.’

Harry frowned, too, and looked at Arthur, who was once again trying hard not to laugh.

‘You might be right,’ said Arthur. ‘I’m going to see Kingsley about funding research into efficient Muggle vehicles on Monday. Want to come with me and plead the case?’

‘I would love to!’ said Justin. 

‘I’ll owl you. Good night, lads. Get inside before you fall asleep out here.’

Harry nodded, and followed Malfoy off towards the castle. Happily, Malfoy seemed to remember where their room was, and how to get there. 

Halfway up the tower stairs they ran into a figure in a flowing white gown. 

‘Ghost,’ Malfoy muttered from the lead.

‘Where?’ the figure squeaked.

‘Oh, sorry, Phoebe, I thought you were, actually.’

‘No, it’s just me, off down to the kitchens for a snack. You two?’

‘Coming back from the same mission,’ said Harry. ‘We slept through dinner.’

‘I did see the ghost,’ Phoebe confided as they passed each other. ‘And I saw a spectral stag this afternoon, too, bounding out of the forest.’

‘Probably just an albino,’ Harry said quickly. ‘I hear they’re enormous good luck to spot.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, they portend weddings,’ Draco called back down the stairs.

‘Excellent!’

Harry waited until they were inside their room until he smacked Malfoy. ‘That poor girl, what if her boyfriend dumps her?’

‘She’ll get another one, it’ll be fine.’

Malfoy sat on the floor and pulled his boots off. ‘I’m so tired, I could sleep here,’ he declared. 

Harry kicked off his own boots, swiftly followed by his jacket and trousers. ‘More bed for me,’ he said, sending his shirt after the other items and crawling under the sheets.

Malfoy got up and undressed. ‘You’re a wretched soul, didn’t even throw me a pillow.’

‘I never believed for an instant you would stay there long enough to require one.’

‘Fair enough. Lights?’

Harry flicked the switch off, and felt Malfoy climb into the bed beside him.

‘It was Justin, wasn’t it?’ Malfoy asked.

‘I think so.’

‘Why?’

‘You really have no idea?’

Harry could feel Malfoy shrug against the sheets. ‘No, he doesn’t gain anything by it, and it’s just been a lot of work for him. I’ve come out of the day ahead, but he has no reason to wish me well.’

Harry was pleased to learn he was not the most oblivious person of his acquaintance. 

‘You can’t see any other motivation behind him bringing us here.’

‘To Cumbria?’

Harry reached out and poked Malfoy in the arm. ‘ _Here_.’

‘Oh.’ Malfoy moved suddenly to the far side of the sheets. ‘Oh! That’s … Where did he get that idea from? You’re not Wood!’

‘Probably from me,’ Harry admitted. ‘Sorry I’m not Wood.’

Malfoy crept back a little towards the centre. ‘From you?’

‘I _was_ trying to stop you sleeping with Wood,’ Harry confessed. ‘I think I was jealous.’

‘Were you?’ Malfoy’s voice sounded bright. ‘That’s quite pleasing.’ He crept back a little further. ‘Truth be told, I’m not particularly upset you’re not Wood.’

Harry grinned into the darkness. ‘Shame Justin sent us off on an exhausting wild horse chase rather than just locking us in a room.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous, we’d have hexed each other.’

‘And now?’ Harry asked hopefully.

‘I cannot tell you how tempted I am to make jokes about consonants, but I live in fear you’d not get it, and then our tentative rapport would be shattered.’

It did take Harry a moment. 

‘Excellent.’

‘Except I’m far too tired,’ said Malfoy, running a hand through Harry’s hair in apology.

‘Me, too,’ Harry confessed, rolling over so his arm crossed Malfoy’s chest. ‘But in the morning, it’s the weekend.’

‘Does this mean I drop the investigation against Justin?’ Malfoy asked.

‘Depends.’

‘On what?’

‘Whether he’s fool enough to send anyone to get us up for breakfast.’

Malfoy sat up and reached over to the small table on his side of the bed. He whispered a low series of syllables, then lay back down.

‘Locking charm,’ Malfoy said, arranging himself beneath Harry’s arm again. ‘You’ll need to master that until Pansy stops trying to kill you in your sleep.’

Harry laughed. ‘I’m lucky, Hermione’s quite fond of you, which means Ron has to be, too.’

‘We can holiday with your friends,’ Malfoy joined in the joke. ‘Hang on.’

Harry felt a hand softly sweep across his face. ‘What is it?’ he asked.

‘If you slept in your glasses, I was going to have to call a halt before things went any further.’

‘Lummox.’

The hand had not been withdrawn, and Harry felt fingers trace his lips, and then a gentle kiss press to them. 

‘We can lummox together,’ Malfoy whispered. 

Harry wasn’t sure if Malfoy was speaking more slowly due to falling asleep, or if his own ears were hearing more slowly because he was. But he did hear the end of the sentence. 

‘It will start a trend – it will be bigger than flying rabbits.’


End file.
